The suburban citizen., 1901-05-11
NEW YORK'S MENAGERIE
MORE WILD BEASTS IN HER WOODS
THAN is USUALLY THOUGHT

seems TO exist concerning the scarcity
of the wilder animals in New YORK
State. writes the Albany correspond
ent of the New York Sun. To judge
from the scant space given them in
guide books and other literature rela-
tive TO the natural history OF the State
one might fancy that aside from an
occasional deer or bear the largest and
fiercest wild mammal still existing
was a fox. This is by no means the
case, and n brief summary Of our
fauna may be OF general interest.
Four species Of hoofed mammals
have probably existed in this State
within historic times. OF these four
the Virginia deer is the only survivor,
and is still fairly common in parts Of
the State. The moose, once common
throughout the State, was exterminat-
ed at still earlier date, no trust
worthy records existing Of live ami
mails being seen since the early part Of
the last century.
Concerning the fourth member OF
the order, the American bison, the
evidence is almost entirely conjectur-
al. DR.. William p. Hornady thinks
it certain that the bison formerly Wis
tied the salt lakes in the vicinity Of
Syracuse. Whatever their original
range may have been they seem never
to have reached the Atlantic coast, and
never to have been seen in this State
since its first settlement by white
men.
The list of carnivOrous animals is
much longer and, curiously enough, it
is not certain that a single species
has been entirely driven out Of the
State, though several are, Of course,
extremely rare. Sixteen species Of
fesh-eaters occur within the bOundar-
les OF New York State. Beginning
with the largest, these are: The puma
or American panther, lynx, wildcat,
gray and red foxes, timber wolf, black
bear, otter skunk, wolverine, mink,
two species Of weasels, marten, fisher
or black cat, and raccoon.
OF this list, both species OF weasels
are still common throughout the State.
The skunk seems to be increasing in
numbers, as the forests are becoming
cleared, being an animal of vNy dom
estic habits. 1t is still very common
in the southeastern counties. A few
years ago, when the new buildings for
New York University were being erect
ed near Fordham Heights, well within
the present city limits of New York,
several specimens were killed by the
workmen The species is hunted
steadily, it's skin furnishing many Of
the furs worn, under other names, Of
course.
The mink, which is also trapped ex-
tensively, is common enough still. In
the highlands, within fifty miles Of the
city, the bank Of almost every stream
OF pond will show tracks Of the mink
The otter is becoming scarce, though
a pair has been seen within the past
five years in a small lake about fifty
miles north of New York City.
The raccoon is still a common In
habitant of our wooded districts, es-
pecially in swampy regions. The
red fox is well known throughout the
State and seems to have decreased but
little in numbers in recent years. The
gray fox is confined almost entirely to
the southeastern counties. In Orange
County and the adjoining areas it
seems to be more common than the
red species
The marten, much hunted for its fur,
is now practically confined to the
wilder parts of the Adirondacks.
though Mearns says that only a few
years ago it was said to be an inhabi-
tant Of the Catskills. A much larger
and more powerful carnivore, the fish
er or black cat, is still quite common
in certain parts of the Adirondacks,
though practically exterminated else
where throughout the State.
An animal concerning whose cum
ming and ferocity many marvellous
tales have been told is the wolverine
or glutton. The last certain records
we have concerning the occurrence
of this species in the State tells OF
the killing Of a specimen in Rensse-
laer County by the naturalist, Bach
man, about the year 1911, and Of an
other in Jefferson County in 1927
After rejecting the fabulous portions
Of the accounts given Of this animals
habits the substantial residum is still
of high interest. Possessed of great
strength, though without great activi-
ty, it is a particular Zoe to the tra2per
and explorer. Hardly an expedition
to the North but has given us a record
Of the depredations committed by this
animal.
It's propensity to steal and hide what
1t cannot devour on the spot makes it
particularly a nuisance. Caches Of
stores and provisions are torn open,
rifed and their contents secreted; the
fur hunters line Of traps is followed;
any animal found in the traps is eat
en-, and the traps themselves dragged
off and cunningly hidden.
The black bear, once common
throughout the State, still occurs in
the Adirondack and Catskill noun
tains and in the counties near the
eastern end Of the Pennsylvania-New
York boundary line. Considering its