CIRCULAR NO. 1. 
[PUBLISHED JULY 1, 1900.] 
Newport Natural History Society. 
THE NATIVE MAMMALS OF RHODE ISLAND. 
One of the objects of the Newport Natural History Society, is 
the collection and preservation o'f specimens and facts relating- to the 
native products of the State of Rhode Island. The undersigned has 
been requested to prepare a circular of inquiry respecting the mam¬ 
mals of this State, for the purpose of eliciting as much information 
as possible concerning them, with a view to preparing an autho 
five list of the mammals which have inhabited Rhode Islantr'fTuring 
the period of its occupation by the Whites, and of any fossil species 
whose remains have been found within the State. 
Some of the largest animals have already disappeared from Rhode 
Island, and others are on the verge of extinction. It is extremely 
unfortunate that any of our native mammals should have been al¬ 
lowed to pass away without so much as a record of their characters 
and peculiarities having been preserved. To provide against such a 
calamity/riii the future, the Newport Natural History Society pro¬ 
poses to preserve specimens and records of all that remain. To tljisr 
end, an historic collection of State Mammals is being formedty''’The 
Society is especially desirous of obtaining without delay all of the 
species of mammals that are in imminent danger of extinction. 
Living or mounted specimens, skins, bones (especially skulls ) , teeth 
horns, nests, and all materials relating to Rhode Island^manyalogy, 
will be welcome additions to the Society’s museum, and wilT Le’grate¬ 
fully received, acknowledged, and registered. They should be marked 
“specimens for the Newport Natural History Society,” and sent to 
the address given below. The writer will be pleased to identify and 
return any specimens sent to him for determination. 
Of fossil mammals and those which have been extirpated within 
the historic period, any remains, however imperfect or fragmentary, 
such as bones, teeth, horns, etc., should be sent to the Society’s 
museum for preservation.’ as they are exceedingly precious. A jaw 
or horn of an Elk or Moose, dug from the soil of Rhode Island, 
would be much more valuable than a perfectly mounted specimen of 
the same animal from some other region. 
The species of recent mammals which have been positively as¬ 
certained to belong to the fauna of Rhode Island are below enuGnrj- 
■ .crated, in lisTtyty those whose presence or occurence is supposed to 
Be probable, on the ground of Their having been 
cent States or waters, are given in list B. 
Respecting each of the animals given in lists 
tion is requested as follows:— 
a. Does it live in your locality at present? If so, is it common 
or rare? 
b. If formerly present, but now extinct, give particulars con¬ 
cerning its extirpation, and the dates when the last individuals were 
seen or killed. 
Vi 
round in the adja- 
A and B, informa- 
0 
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nyv' 
c. How many 3mung are produced, and at what season? __-_- 
d. Describe its nest, burrow, or habitation/- —- 
e. Give the times — exact dates when possible — -of appearance 
and disappearance of such species as are migratory (e. g. the Red i , 4 
Bat), and of such as hibernate (Woodchuck, J urn pi n g - mou se, etc.). ^ ty . Jpjy 
f. In what manner is it injurious/^ fo man, in your district? 
(In the cases of noxious species, state the number destroyed during, 
current and preceding years* and give the amounts paid out in boun¬ 
ties offered for their destruction; also give statistics or estimated num¬ 
bers of food species annually sent to market, and of pelts of fur¬ 
bearing animals taken, together with any other facts relative to their 
economic uses.) 
g. Give as many facts as you can concerning the habits, actions, 
voice, traits, and general characteristics of each. If attempts have 
been made to breed any species in confinement, for economic uses, 
state with what result. 
h. Add any information in your possession, supposed to be of 
interest in connection with Rhode Island mammals. 
i. Name any species of mammals which have been found in 
Rhode Island, not given in list A, giving as full particulars as pos¬ 
sible respecting each. 
j. Give the names and addresses of persons who are especially 
interested in hunting or trapping mammals, and especially of those 
who deal in skins, or have formed collections of specimens. 
k. Give full particulars concerning the discovery, at any time, 
of bones, teeth, horn or other remains of mammals in this State, 
and if possible describe their present location and condition. 
A. List of the wild mammals known to have inhabited 
the State of Rhode Island during the historic period. 
1. Opossum. Didelphis virginiana Kerr. 
2. Common Botlle^Nose Porpoise. Tursiops tursio (Fabricius). ^ 
3. Common Dolphin. Delphi r.p delpTiis Linnaeus'. 
4. Harbor Porpoise; Puffing Pig; Snuffer. Phoazna phoceena 
(Linnseus). 
5. Blackfish; Pilot Whale. Globicephalus melas (Traill). 
6 . White Whale; Beluga. Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas). 
7. Bottle-nose Whale. Hyperoodon rostratus (Chemnitz). 
8. Sperm Whale. Physeter macrocephalus Linnseus. 
9. Right Whale. Palana cisardica Cope. 
10. Fin-back Whale. Sibbaldius tectirostris Cope. 
11. Virginian Deer. Odocoileus virginianus (Boddaert). 
12. Moose. Alee fymericanus Jardine. 
13. Southeastern Red Squirrel. Scwnes hudsonicus loquax Bangs. 
14. Northern Gray Squirrel. Sciurus carolinensis leucotis (Capper) 
15. Northeastern Chipmunk. Tamias striatus lysteri ( Richardson). 
16. Woodchuck; Groundhog. Arctomys monax (Linnaeus). 
17. Southern Flying Squirrel. Sciuroplerus volans (Linnaeus). 
18. American Beaver. Castor canadensis Kuhl. 
19. House Mouse. Mus musculus (Linnaeus); 
20. House Rat; Wharf Rat. Mus dccumatius Pallas. 
21. Northeastern Deer Mouse; Buck Mouse. Pero?nyscus leucopus 
- —- tinnehnr acensis ^ Fischc-t). 
