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RIES SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION NOILNLILSNI NVINOSHLINS SSIYVUSIT_ LIBRARIES 4 ” = * Ww =< “” : ‘’ con | Fl Xv 4 3 = ont YL 4 x Oo me ; O =H Me bX ” Ge. 's MW. r, oe ” ve oO vii td f ‘ ae | ns oe 3 O Ty Ff: e E \S Zz = zt / NX a 2 a a = S .LSN NVINOSHLINS S3IYVYAIT LIBRARIES SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES SMITHSONIAN Ss WINE c < 2 ) 8 “yy - S = S VES SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION NOILOLILSNI_NVINOSHLINS —S31uVu 8 1_LIBRARIES tet 5 ia mit iF | Pal wri TAY Pra AW ' aug y # ‘¢ dg 2 [ oo we oe OF fe a New York State Museum _ FREDERICK J. H. MERRILL Director oo... No. 38° Val. 8 “2 hae : October 1900 i = ee < : € ee | ae , ‘a é - KEY TO THE LAND fa e “ BUREAU $F | AMERICAN Br ginoLoay. = 7 KEY TO LAND MAMMALS OF NORTHEASTERN NORTH AMERICA IIQ 1899 Lepus floridanus mearnsi Allen, Bull. Am. mus. nat. hist. 4 Mar. 1899. 12:13. Hair long, full and soft; color pale, chiefly wood brown and gray; back not heavily sprinkled with black-tipped hairs; rump very noticeably paler than back; no black spots between ears; ears thinly furred and without distinct black margins. Length, 475 (18%); tail, 65 (24); hind foot, 100 (4). (medArnsi; name from that of Edgar A. Mearns) The eastern prairie cottontail is a member of the eastern prairie fauna of the transition and upper austral zones. It would therefore not come within the scope of the present paper had it not recently extended its range as far as Toronto, Ontario and central New York. Lepus floridanus mallurus (Thomas) Southeastern cottontail 1837 Lepus sylvaticus Bachman, Jour. acad. nat. sci. Philadelphia. 7: 403. Eastern United States. (Not Lepus borealis sylvaticus Nilsson, 1832) 1895 Lepus sylvaticus Bangs, Proc. Boston soc. nat. hist. 26: 405. 1898 Lepus nuttalli mallurus Thomas, Ann, and mag. nat. hist. ser. 7, 2: 320. (Raleigh N. C.) 1899 Lepus floridanus mallurus Allen, Bull. Am. mus. nat. hist. 4 Mar. 1899. 12: 13. Hair short and coarse; color dull, chiefly wood brown ‘and cinnamon ; back not heavily sprinkled with black-tipped hairs; rump not noticeably paler than back ; no black spot between ears ; ears rather thinly furred, and without distinct dark margins. Length, 430 (17) ; tail, 55 (23); hind foot, 95 (382). (malltrus; Gk., wool tail) The southeastern cottontail is abundant through the austral zones of the eastern United States. Its northern limit reaches the lower Hudson valley. . Order Ferae Jesh-eaters or carnivores Canine teeth well developed; cheek teeth formed for cutting; front teeth small, in a row between the canines; toes provided with claws; brain large, well developed ; species occurring within our limits large or medium sized, the small- est (weasels) about 300 (1 ft) in length ; eyes well developed ; fur not modified for an underground life. (Férae; Lat., wild beasts) _ The order F erae, containing the cats, dogs, bears, weasels, racoons, etc., is distinguished among the groups of mammals occurring in North America by the high development of the teeth for flesh-cutting. The order is very generally distributed in the new world and in the old world outside of Australia. It contains about a dozen families, six of which are found in northeastern North America. 120 ' NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM FAMILIES OF FERAE Limbs so highly modified for swimming as to be prac- tically useless for walking (Pinnipedia; seals and their allies) Hind feet capable of turning forward under the body; a large tusk on each side of upper jaw (walruses).. Rosmaridae, p. 120 Hind feet permanently directed backward; no tusks : (seale)incce cos esems eh Ocakis emmeucete eee acer teiaeine Phocidae, p. 121 Limbs normal (Fissipedia; the true carnivores) Hind foot with four toes Claws retractile into a sheath; muzzle broad and short; teeth not more than 30 (cats)...--..-..- Felidae, p. 123 Claws not retractile; muzzle narrow and long; teeth: 42 (does) . jis se Sep ewisat cen eons cab 4O Al 1 ae, sap eee Hind foot with five toes : Entire sole not applied to ground in walking (weasels, otters, martins etc.)............-.-. Mustelidae, p. 129 Entire sole applied to ground in walking | Size small or medium; tail well developed; teeth 30 >to 40 (Gracoons, etes) 2-b-52 +2-s-e soecee ce ne Procyonidae, p. 137 Size very large, tail rudimentary; teeth 42 (bears) Ursidae, p. 138 Family Rosmaridae Walruses Hind feet capable of turning forward under body; no external ears; a large tusk growing downward from each side of upper jaw. (Rosmaridae; genus Rosmarus) \ The family Rosmaridae contains the one genus Rosmarus. Genus Rosmarus Scopoli 1777 Rosmarus Scopoli, Introd. hist. nat. p. 490. Type Trichechus rosmarus Linnaeus. Characters of the family. (Rosm4rus; anold name for the walrus first used by Olaus Maguus in the 16th century) The genus Rosmarus is represented by two species, one each in the north Atlantic and north Pacific. Rosmarus rosmarus (Linnaeus) Adantic walrus 1766 Trichechus rosmarus Linnaeus, Systema naturae. ed. 127 1:49. (North Atlantic ocean) 1880 Odobaenus rosmarus Allen, History of North American pinnipeds, p. 23. 1894 Rosmarus rosmarus Rhoads, American naturalist. 28 : 523. Characters as above; bristly nose pad narrow. (rosmdrus; an old name) The Atlantic walrus, within our limits is now restricted to northern Labrador ; its range formerly extended much farther south. KEY TO LAND MAMMALS OF NORTHEASTERN NORTH AMERICA I2I Family Phocidae ar/ess seals Hind feet directed permanently backward, no etxernalears; no tusks. (Phécidae; genus Phoca) The family Ph ocidae contains a dozen or more genera distributed on practically all sea coasts. Four occur in North America, all of which are represented within our limits. GENERA OF PHOCIDAE Teeth 30; snout of male developed into a conspicuous ‘‘ hood” Pensa Oy Sb OP LOFT N26). 245! 2 at eke Seed See cee Cystophora ‘Teeth 34; snout not specially developed (subfamily Phocinae) Braincase forming less than one third of length of skull.... Halichoerus Braincase forming nearly one half of length of skull Cheek teeth large and strong; forehead high, arched..........-... Phoca Cheek teeth small and weak; forehead low, flat............Erignathus Genus Cystophora Nilsson 1820 Cystophora Nilsson, Skand. fauna. 1:382. Type Cystophora borealis Nilsson=Phoca cristata Erxleben. Teeth 30 (only two front teeth in lower jaw); muzzle elongated, that of male -eapable of inflation. (Cystophora; Gk., bladder-bearer) The genus Cystophora is peculiar to the coasts and islands of the North Atlantic. Only one species is known. Cystophora cristata (Erxleben) Hooded seal 1777 [Phoca] cristata Erxleben, Syst. | regn. anim. 1:590. (Greenland) 18387 Cystophora cristata Nilsson, Kongl. Vet. akad. Handl. Stock- holm. 1880 Cystophora cristata Allen, History of North American pinnipeds, p. 724. 1884 Cystophora cristata Merriam, Science. 5 Dec. 1884. 4:514. Bluish black, lighter on sides and belly; back thickly sprinkled with irregular whitish spots. Total length 2450 (7 ft) to 2800 (8 ft). (cristata; Lat., crested } The hooded seal occurs on the northern coasts of western Europe and eastern North America. In the latter country its southward range extends about to Nova Scotia, though stragglers have been taken as far south as Long Island. Genus Halichoerus Nilsson 1820 Halichoerus Nilsson, Faun. Skand. 1:377. Type Halichoerus griseus Nilsson=Phoca grypus Fabricius. Teeth 34 (four front teeth in lower jaw); braincase very small, forming less than one third length of skull. (Halichoérus; Gk., sea pig) The genus Halichoerus is peculiar to the coasts and islands of the North Atlantic. Only one species is known. 122 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM Halichoerus grypus (Fabricius) Gray seal 1791 Phoca grypus Fabricius, Skriv. af Naturh. Selsk. 1: 167. 18387 Halichoerus grypus Nilsson, Kongl. Vet. akad. Handl. Stock-. holm. 1880 Halichoerus grypus Allen, History of North American pinnipeds. p. 689. Gray (silvery, ashy or dusky) with ill-defined dark spots. Total length 2450 (7 ft) to 3150 (9 ft). (g rypu s; Lat., hook-nosed) The gray seal occurs on the northern coasts of western Europe and eastern North America. Its southward range in America extends about to Nova Scotia. Genus Phoca Linnaeus 1758 Phoca Linnaeus, Systema naturae. ed. 10. 1:37. TypePhoca vitu- lina Linnaeus. Teeth 34 (four front teeth in lower jaw); the cheek teeth large and strong, not falling out with age ; braincase forming nearly one half of length of skull; fore- head high, arched. (Ph6ca; Lat., a seal) The genus Phoca is widely distributed on the coasts of the north- ern hemisphere. About a half dozen species are known, three of which occur within our limits. SPECIES OF PHOCA Male whitish with a black stripe crossing shoulder and running back along sides (subgenus Pagophilus GIB) oo cea ecm aie a leet teeta bee aeWelc ok solemn |. Ole sna Male not white with black markings First finger slightly longer than others; back generally blackish with whitish spots (subgenus Pusa Bcapalt): (oscar. Se Se ey te Senet eee eee ae P. hispida First finger not Jonger than others; back generally light brown or gray with dark spots (subgenus Piboe a yo... eh cans fee a eewees eee ree eee ieeee P. vitulina Phoca groenlandica Fabricius arp seal 1776 Phoea groenlandica Fabricius, Miiller’s Zool. Dan. prodr., 8. (Coast of Greenland) 1880 Phoca groenlandica Allen, History of North American pinnipeds, p. 630. ; Male whitish, with black face, and a black stripe crossing shoulders and extending backward along sides. Female less distinctly marked. Total length (male) about 1750 (5 ft), female smaller. (groenldndica; N. Lat, pertaining to Greenland) : The harp seal is a circumpolar species, confined to the icy northern seas. In America its southward range extends to Newfoundland and the Magdalen islands, : = | SS ee ee oe ee. ee \ _ 4* > eae = ~~ KEY TO LAND MAMMALS OF NORTHEASTERN NORTH AMERICA 123 Phoca hispida Schreber Ringed seal 1775 Phoca hispida Schreber, Siiugethiere. 3: 312. 1880 Phoca foetida Allen, History of North American pinnipeds, p. 597. vs First finger longest, the others successively decreasing in length. General color blackish brown above, yellowish white below, the back with large oval whitish spots; muzzle and eye ring usually black. Total length (male) about 1750 (5 ft), female smaller. (hispida; Lat., harsh) The ringed seal occurs on the Arctic coasts of both hemispheres. In eastern North America its range extends to Labrador and Newfoundland. Phoca vitulina Linnaeus Harbor seal 1758 [Phoca] vitulina Linnaeus, Systema naturae. ed. 10. 1:38. (Coast of Europe) 1880 Phoca vitulina Allen, History of North American pinnipeds, p. 559. Fingers not distinctly graduated; general color grayish or brownish; paler below ; the back with dark spots, muzzle and eye ring usually yellowish. Total length about 1750 (5 ft); female smaller. (vitulina; Lat., calf-like) The harbor seal is peculiar to the north Atlantic. Its normal range in North America extends about to Long Island, though individuals straggle much farther south. It is frequently taken in rivers and lakes at some distance from the sea. Family Felidae Cats Heel never applied to ground in walking ; claws sharp, compressed, retractile, hind toes 4; teeth 28 or 30; head short, round. (Félida , genus Felis) The well known cat family, though distributed- throughout the warmer parts of the world (Australia and neighboring islands excepted) contains only a small number of genera. Two are all that are com- monly recognized, but this number should probably be doubled. Two only occur in America, both of which are found in the northeastern United States. . GENERA OF FELIDAE nM MLCO TG AU 4) -