Bulletin No. 7. Mammals of Minnesota

Abstract

The manuscript and plates for a final report upon the mammals of Minnesota were turned over to the Survey in 1885, with the expectation that the work would be speedily issued as part of a quarto volume of the series of final reports. Circumstances with which the writer is unacquainted have delayed the publication over six years and in the meantime much work has been done in all branches of biology, and the state has been carefully surveyed by the United States agents. Much of whatever may have had any value as an original contribution to science has lapsed and much of the remainder has been rendered unnecessary by recent publication. This is especially true of bibliographical material. When, however, the publication was finally ordered and no opportunity was afforded for further field work, it seemed best to adapt the manuscript for the purpose by the omission of much which could not be edited satisfactorily under the circumstances, and, separating the more general from the technical portions, to issue these in the form of two bulletins, uniform with the series already established by the Survey. The present installment, therefore, contains the descriptive and popular portion, with such illustrations as may serve to assist the amateur. The second part will be devoted to the materials collected upon the anatomy, especially the myology and osteology of the mammals of Minnesota. C. L. HERRICK, Univ. of Cincinnati.