John F. Merritt is senior mammalogist with the Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois. He is the former director of Powdermill Biological Station of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the coauthor of Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, Ecology, and coeditor of Biology of Small Mammals.
From the tiny shrew to the black bear, Pennsylvania’s hills and valleys teem with sixty-three species of wild mammals. Written in lively prose, the Guide to the Mammals of Pennsylvania introduces readers to Pennsylvania’s environment and the characteristics of these disparate local animals. Each entry includes a short list of data, a Pennsylvania range map, a North American range map, and a narrative of the physical, ecological, and behavioral characteristics of the species. Photographs of each species in its natural habitat and drawings of animal tracks are especially useful for identification, and a glossary and bibliography provide definitions and references for the serious reader. Guide to the Mammals of Pennsylvania provides students, scholars, and nature lovers alike with a ready reference to help them distinguish between a deer mouse and a white-footed mouse, to identify raccoon tracks, and to learn about Pennsylvania’s myriad wild inhabitants.