Abstract

As a mammalogist residing in central Texas, I often try to imagine the great diversity and abundance of mammals present in this state prior to western settlement. There are of course legendary accounts in Texas history and folklore of some of the larger mammals, such as buffalo, bears, and wolves, but I know of no book that systematically recounts the historical distribution, abundance, and behavior of what was once an amazing collection of mammals. Del Weniger's study takes its place as such a unique and well-researched account. This is the second volume of his research, the first covering The Land and Waters. Although subtitled The Animals They Found, the coverage is exclusively mammalian (volumes three and four will cover birds and plants, respectively).