USA > New York > Nassau County > Long Island; a history of two great counties, Nassau and Suffolk, Volume II > Part 17
USA > New York > Suffolk County > Long Island; a history of two great counties, Nassau and Suffolk, Volume II > Part 17
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The present account deals with 33 species of land mammals known to occur on Long Island. With further study, others will undoubtedly be added to this list.
MARSUPIALIA (Opossums)
Some seventy years ago the opossum, Didelphis virginiana, was released on Long Island and since then has spread from Brooklyn to Montauk Point. Indeed, within the past half century it has spread throughout much of New York, being one of the few notable mammals which have increased their range within recent years.
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The opossum approximates a house cat in size, weighing from four to ten pounds. Its short legs, large naked bicolored ears and long prehensile creamish white, tail are good field characters. The whitish face, the long grizzled gray fur and the opposable nailless thumb of the hind foot serve to distinguish this beast from all other Long Island mammals of comparable size. The female, like most other marsupials, has a pouch in which the young are carried.
The singular reproductive behavior of the opossum has excited much interest. The young, numbering from 6 to 13, are born in a very undeveloped state, after the short gestation period of 11 or 12 days. These young, so small that 22 can be accommodated on a teaspoon, attach themselves to the nipples, where they remain for several weeks. When a month old, they are scarcely larger than a house mouse, and remain in the pouch another month before clamber- ing over the mother, grasping her long fur tightly. Two litters a year are produced on Long Island.
The opossum is essentially a nocturnal beast, making its home during the day in some snug nest made of leaves and grass in a hollow stump, or a deserted woodchuck or skunk burrow. During the nightly foray, the opossum feeds on fruits, berries, insects, small mammals, reptiles and carrion; indeed, there is little it disdains. In the severest winter weather the opossum usually remains "holed up" for several days or a week at a time, although I caught one in a muskrat trap at Flushing during the severe winter of 1919-20, when sub-zero weather prevailed. The fur, while coarse and used chiefly for trimmings, is widely used in the fur trade. Trappers receive 35 to 70 cents for a good prime pelt. The flesh is esteemed by Southern hunters, but the few I have eaten have proved rather strong.
INSECTIVORA (Moles and Shrews)
The Order Insectivora, or insect eaters, is represented on Long Island by two moles and two shrews. The moles may at once be recognized by their huge paddle-like fore limbs, adapted for digging tortuous subterranean galleries, and their diminutive eyes, all but hidden in the facial fur. The shrews are, for the most part, tiny beasts, little noticed by the layman, but of worldwide distribution.
The most conspicuous Long Island species is the common or naked-tailed mole, Scalopus aquaticus. Almost every gardener or farmer is familiar with its tunnel-like burrows, and often lays the depredation of root crops to its door. Largely insectivorous, the common mole feeds on a variety of small animals. It may at once be recognized by its silky grayish fur and short naked tail.
The star-nosed mole, Condylura cristata, is recorded from Miller Place by Arthur H. Helme. It possibly occurs sporadically through- out the Island in suitable localities. The twenty-two fleshy nasal tentacles, the blackish fur and long tail serve to distinguish this species from all other Long Island mammals.
Of the shrews, the ubiquitous short-tailed shrew, Blarina brevi- cauda, is found in all suitable habitats. While it is often termed
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"field mole" or "field mouse", its sharp nose and tiny eyes serve to distinguish it from the rodents. It should be considered a welcome addition to the garden, as it feeds upon slugs, insects and other small fry which pilfer our crops.
The common or masked shrew, Sorex cincereus, has the distinc- tion of being the tiniest of Long Island mammals, and for that matter, one of the smallest species in the world. Adults seldom exceed a penny in weight. They have brownish fur, long pointed snout and a long tail. One often finds them lying dead on woodland paths during the fall. I have found them under driftwood on the beaches of the North Shore, and trapped innumerable individuals in the Rosyln woods. Although one of our most abundant mammals, they seldom come to the notice of man.
CHIROPTERA (Bats)
Specialized as they are, bats are the only mammals which exhibit true flight. The digits of the fore limb are enormously enlarged to accomodate the membranes which serve as wings. Bats have small eyes and the wonderful dexterity they exhibit in avoiding obstacles while in flight is accomplished in a manner quite different from that of other mammals and birds. Flying bats emit supersonic notes, these sound waves striking the obstacle and being reflected back to their ears. Thus bats were utilizing the principle of radar long before man. Bats mate in the late summer or early fall, the sperm being stored by the female during the winter, fertilization occurring in early spring. Most species normally produce a single young, although the beautiful red bat customarily bears three or four, the combined weight of the growing young exceeding that of the mother. In spite of this, she is able to carry them about on her nocturnal forays for food. Our local bats are all insectivorous, consuming great quantities of small beetles, moths, mayflies, and other small winged forms. Bats do not carry the human bedbug, nor do they have any desire to tangle in a woman's tresses, although they frequently annoy people as they fly about the porch of a summer evening, intent only on garnering a meal which is attracted by the lights.
With the advent of cold weather, most of our bats hibernate, although some species, like the silvery-haired, red and hoary bats, migrate long distances to escape the Northern winter. I have seen these sporadic flights in mid-September at Montauk Point.
There are seven species of bats known to occur on Long Island. Of these, the little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus, is one of the com- monest species. It may be recognized by its small size, the total length averaging 31/2 inches. The color is rich brown, often almost bronze. The long-eared brown bat, Myotis keenii septentrionalis, is an uncommon species, similar in appearance to the little brown bat. Its long ears, when laid forward, extend a short distance beyond the nostrils.
The silvery-haired bat, Lasionycteris noctivagans, is a fair- sized species and can at once be distinguished from other Long Island bats by its color. The pelage is dark blackish brown, the tips
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of the hairs being marked with silver. This frosting is most pro- nounced along the middle of the back. The wing expanse is approxi- mately twelve inches. These bats have been seen far from land flying a hundred feet or less above the choppy sea. They may actually . pass the winter hidden in the furls of sails, hulls, and cabins of yachts. Even the hulls of ships in New York harbor and the churches of Long Island have proven a winter haven for this species.
The little pipistrelle, Pipistrellus subflavus, is a weak-flighted yellowish species. I have mistaken it for a large moth in the fading summer light, and have nearly succeeded in capturing one in an insect net.
The big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, is a large edition of the little brown bat. Its sepia-brown long fur is characteristic, and its large size serves to distinguish it from other brown species. This is the bat most frequently found about the house during the winter months. It seems to delight in occupying dwellings.
The red bat, Lasiurus borealis, is one of the commonest species on Long Island. Its short rounded ears and conspicuous bright reddish or rusty color are infallible field guides. The coat is normally frosted with white. These bats have been observed sweeping about the crowded streets of Brooklyn in quest of insects. I have taken them from the low branches of locust at Flushing during the day.
Rarest and most beautiful of Long Island bats is the great hoary bat, Lasiurus cinereus, whose black leathery wings stretch sixteen inches across. Its yellowish brown to dark mahogany-brown hair is frosted with silver over the entire body, giving a pronounced hoary appearance to the animal. It is most common on Long Island during the fall, when migrating individuals attract attention by their huge size and rich color.
CARNIVORA (Flesh Eaters)
The carnivores, readily identified by their teeth, which indicate a meat diet, are world wide in distribution. Many are important to the fur trade, and not a few favor agriculture by their destruction of injurious rodents. Seven species are known to occur on Long Island.
The raccoon, Procyon lotor, scarcely needs description. Its black facial mask and ringed tail are excellent field marks. It is generally distributed, and its characteristic tracks may be seen on the mudflats and stream margins over the breadth of the Island. Many are taken for the pelts, which fetch the trapper two to eight dollars.
The New York weasel, Mustela frenata noveboracensis, is gener- ally distributed, showing little preference in habitat, although I have seen signs most frequently in wet places. Years ago I found a nest at Alley Pond, Bayside and watched the parents bring field mice to their young. In the colder portions of New York this species acquires a pure white coat, save for the sable tail tip. The species is then known as ermine in the fur trade. On Long Island I have yet to record a white individual of this species. The smaller Bonaparte weasel, Mustela erminea cicognanii, is extremely rare on Long Island, although common in other parts of New York. The only record I
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have is a photograph of one taken at Babylon. This specimen was in the white winter pelage. Weasels are inveterate mouse-hunters and do far more good than harm, although they have been discredited for ages by the hunter and poultry farmer.
The mink, Mustela vison, is a common inhabitant of both shores. As a boy, I caught several about Douglaston and Manhasset. Although scarcely larger than a gray squirrel, the mink has little trouble in overcoming and feasting on the muskrat, although this rodent may be twice the size of the mink. The mink is prized in the fur trade.
It is surprising to learn that the otter was not infrequently cap- tured on Long Island as late as 1901. I find no recent records for the Island. It is possible that this strong swimmer could cross Long Island Sound. They have certainly increased greatly in numbers on the mainland during the past decade.
The skunk, Mephitis m. nigra, is a common resident of the Island. Helme records a decided decrease in their numbers with the appear- ance of the Colorado potato beetle, attributing their disappearance to feeding on these poisoned beetles in the potato fields. Twenty years ago they were numerous, and I have seen the characteristic tracks in the late winter snow scarcely ten miles from the East River. Highway mortality accounts for considerable destruction of this species, for the deliberate ways of the skunk leads to its own undoing. The skunk is omnivorous, feeding principally upon fruits, berries, insects, small reptiles, mammals and occasionally a bird. During the coldest weather the animals "hole up" for several weeks, but are not classed as true hibernators.
The red fox, Vulpes fulva, is, a common species throughout Long Island. It is found from the sand dunes of Montauk to the settled portions of Queens County. In spite of persecution over the years, the fox more than holds its own. Hunt clubs have introduced the fox on Long Island for the express purpose of the "chase". Com- plaints have been received in the past few years of fox damage to ducks and poultry in Suffolk County. Throughout the state the red fox has shown an unprecedented increase in recent years. The food is varied. Roy Latham of Orient wrote me some years ago that he has actually seen foxes catch muskrats, moles, leopard- and bull- frogs and he also records about their dens wild ducks (scoters), domestic ducks and infertile eggs and cottontails. From April to November these animals feed upon the unmarketable marine fish, dumped by the trap fishermen. Foxes once broke up a large colony of breeding terns near Orient. John T. Nichols of Mastic writes that the majority of snapping turtle nests are destroyed by the foxes digging up and eating the eggs. I have examined a dead fox on the highway which had its stomach full of blueberries. The two to eight young are born in late winter, the young appearing above ground during April.
The gray fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus, is less common on the Island, although it appears to be generally distributed in the scrub oak and pine of the central portion. The fur is coarse and thus not
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highly valued in the fur trade. A good climber, the gray fox often eludes the hounds by running along a fence and taking refuge in the crotch of a low tree.
RODENTIA (Rodents or Gnawing Mammals)
The dozen species of rodents occurring on the Island belong to four families. All are characterized by sharp chisel-shaped incisors and the absence of canine teeth. Rodents far surpass all other orders of mammals in the number of species and also in the actual number of individuals.
The Sciuridae, or squirrel family, is well represented on the Island, including such diverse species as the woodchuck, chipmunk, gray squirrel and flying squirrel.
The woodchuck, Marmota monax rufescens, is tolerably common in Suffolk County, but scarce in the western portion of the Island. It causes some damage to the vegetable garden, eating back the new beans and sprouts of early vegetables. In the scrub oak it does little harm, providing homes for rabbits, foxes, and skunks in its deserted burrows. As fall approaches, the woodchuck acquires a store of fat upon which to draw during its winter sleep. After the first heavy frosts, and while food is yet abundant, this big rodent retires to a nest of leaves and grasses well below the ground to pass the colder months in a torpid sleep. The three to five young are born in April, and may be seen tumbling about the den entrance by mid-May.
The striped chipmunk, Tamias striatus fisheri, is abundant in wooded parks and dense garden spots over much of the Island. I have frequently seen this species in Suffolk County. When too numerous, it may prove a pest, digging up flowering bulbs and other prizes from the border. It has a confiding disposition and is readily tamed to feed from one's fingers. All during the summer and fall, the chipmunk is busy garnering seeds, nuts and other delicacies in its capacious cheek pouches, storing these in an underground chamber for winter use. Although this species hibernates, its sleep is inter- rupted throughout the winter, and storage of food is necessary if it is to survive during these periods. A large nest of shredded leaves is built in a bank or other well drained area in which the four or five young are produced in April.
The gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis leucotis, needs no descrip- tion. Its bulky leaf nest may be found in almost every woodlot on the Island. A hollow limb or sizeable bird house will often provide a nursery for the young which are born in the late winter while snow remains. The gray squirrel is a profligate feeder, taking a few elm seeds here, a maple bud there and letting the terminal twigs drop to the ground. It eschews no vegetable matter, and is not above consuming a luckless nestling, or a luscious caterpillar. Occasionally a black, or melanistic individual occurs. Such were far more common a century ago. Albinos are likewise not too great a rarity.
If the red squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus loquax occurs on Long Island, that fact has not come to my attention. At the turn of the century, Helme had not recorded any after many years of field
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observation and over a period of years of active field work on the Island. I have never seen one. Such is surprising, as they are common on the mainland and one might suspect that introduction, natural or otherwise, would have occurred ere now.
The flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans, is one of the most secre- tive of all Long Island mammals. Its large lustrous eyes are a stamp of nocturnal life, and the soft handsome gray pelage, the snow white underparts, prominent loose fold of skin extending from the wrists to the ankles and the flattened, well-furred tail all serve to distinguish this species. All too often, the only indication of its presence is finding the luckless body of one on our doorstep, victim of the cat. It lives like the other tree squirrels, often utilizing and roofing over a deserted crow's nest. Occasionally it will repair to a bird box. Flying squirrels are active throughout the winter. We have caught them in traps set for larger game during sub-zero weather.
Of the several species of wild mice which are found on Long Island, none are handsomer than the deer mouse, Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis. Also known as the wood or white-footed mouse, this species is common in the woods and not infrequently in houses of the small villages, particularly during the colder months. Large black eyes, enormous ears, brownish upperparts (gray in the young) and snow-white belly are ready means of identification. Some years ago I uncovered a nest of these mice at Oyster Bay. The mother had capped over the nest of a brown thrasher, roofing it with leaves. Poking my finger into the nursery, I startled the mother, who ran off with several young clinging tightly to her teats. This is a common trait of the species. Deer mice feed on a miscellany of fruits, berries, small animals and quantities of insects. Indeed, all of our small mammals are useful in the biological control of insects, and often are more effective than birds in this respect.
The ubiquitous field or meadow mouse, Microtus pennsylvanicus, is perhaps the most abundant of Long Island mammals. It prefers a damp habitat, being found in its greatest numbers in the marshes and swamps. I have found it in swampy land five miles from Long Island City. It is a chunky, short-tailed mouse, grayish brown with dark underparts. The ear is not prominent, being partially hidden in the fur. In the fields and meadows its makes little trails the width of a garden hose which may be seen by parting the grass. During the high water of spring, many are flooded from their homes, and must find a precarious perch on driftwood. This species is the most prolific of all American mammals. A captive female has produced thirteen litters of young in a year, each litter numbering from three to seven. It feeds on grasses of all kinds, being destructive to alfalfa, timothy and choice perennials. Young fruit trees are girdled, often beyond repair, and the damage to agriculture may be consider- able. In spite of this economic loss, this little beast serves some useful . purpose. It is one of the principal foods of many hawks and owls, snakes and predatory mammals. Like many of our smaller mammals, the field mouse population is cyclic, each four years bringing a minor
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plague of these rodents, which then are greatly reduced by disease or some other calamity.
A close relative, the Gull Island meadow mouse, Microtus nesophilus, confined to Great Gull Island at the entrance to Long Island Sound, was exterminated when suitable cover was removed during the construction of fortifications some years ago.
Another little vole, the pine mouse, Pitymys pinetorum scalop- soides, is a common resident of Long Island. It is a small robust species, with minute tail, silky mole-like fur and bright brown or chestnut above. It spends most of its life in underground tunnels, where, burrowing into the truck garden, it nibbles the potatoes and other root crops. Extensive damage may be caused to the roots of young orchard trees. Since it appears to have fewer enemies than the field mouse, its reproductive rate is not so great, which is a great blessing, as the pest is very difficult to control.
The muskrat, Ondatra zibethica, is nothing more than an over- grown field mouse. To be sure, the external appearance belies this assertion, but a comparison of the skulls will quickly show the true relationship. Muskrats are common in suitable localities throughout the Island. In the winter of 1919, I trapped a number about Plandome and Manhasset, receiving the all-time high price of $4.25 a pelt. That same winter, over a thousand dollars worth of pelts were harvested from the salt marshes and creeks that later became the site of the World's Fair. Great numbers are trapped by school boys, indeed, this is the most important fur-bearer of North America. The prominent houses of cattails, salt grasses and detritus may often be seen from the highway. In tidewater, muskrats frequently utilize holes in the banks, a dry nest being built at the end of the tunnel well above the water level. The muskrat is primarily a vegetarian, feeding on a variety of aquatic succulents, although the large fresh- water clams are likewise relished. Their chief enemy, other than man, is the mink, which enters the rat burrows and lodges in search of its prey.
The Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus and the house mouse, Mus musculus, need no description. All too well known, these pests have plagued man for centuries. Both species are said to have been intro- duced into the United States during the American Revolution, and have become firmly entrenched throughout the country. Both the rat and house mouse take to the fields with the advent of warm weather, returning to human habitation with the first frosts. Every town dump offers a breeding place for the rat, which thus populates the surrounding areas. Such disgraceful conditions are tolerated everywhere and quite needlessly.
One rodent remains, the graceful little jumping mouse, Zapus hudsonius americanus, whose extraordinary long tail and elongated hind limbs have given it the appellation of "kangaroo mouse". It wears a yellowish coat, with darker dorsal band. The undeparts are white. This species is not uncommon in grassy fields, the over- grown ditch border or the meadow. It feeds on the heads of various grasses, cutting the close-growing stems into match-size lengths until
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the seed heads are reached. In the late summer it is a little ball of fat, and by October has dug into the ground for the most profound torpor of any mammal. Respiration, circulation, and other bodily functions almost reach a standstill as the little body, rolls in a tight ball and resting on its long clock-spring tail, passes the winter. The jumper does not appear until the following April.
LAGOMORPHA (Hares and Rabbits)
The hares and rabbits are superficially like the rodents, with which they have much in common. Parallel development during the course of geologic time has accounted for this similarity. "The lagomorphs differ from the rodents in possessing two pairs of upper incisors, the second pair being small, circular and directly behind the large prominent cutting incisors. Rabbits are important mammals, for they supply felt and hides to the hatter and furrier. Millions are killed for sport and food. These animals cause colossal damage to agriculture, especially in the orchard, alfalfa or garden.
Two species occur on Long Island. The New England cotton- tail or wood rabbit Sylvilagus transitionalis, is a small short-eared cottontail with pinkish buff coat heavily washed with black. It may be distinguished from the Eastern Cottontail by its shorter ears and black patch between the ears.
The Eastern or Florida cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus mallurus, is a large rabbit, with relatively long ears, prominent gray rump patch; the upperparts are dull, rather dark rusty yellowish or buffy washed with black, the nape being rusty. These cottontails weigh three pounds or more and are considered one of the finest of game animals, many millions being shot for food annually. The question- able practice of introducing Western forms to restock the East has led to mixtures which are the nightmare of taxonomists, and the interbreeding of several forms on Long Island poses a question regarding the exact status of the present fauna.
Some years ago my father and I shot rabbits at various points along the North Shore. We found the greatest number in the bay- berry thickets and under the shelter of vacant cottages. The sweet music of a well trained beagle gave us a clue to the whereabouts of the rabbit and we had but to wait until the game circled within gunshot distance. Rabbits provide food for a great many animals beside humans, and the constant depredation from birth to senility requires that they produce several litters of five to seven young during the warm months. These are born in a slight hollow, lined with the fur of the mother, and so cleverly concealed with grass that the first intimation of a rabbit's nest is usually the scattered remains, uncovered by a dog. Since rabbits are almost entirely vegetarians, they are capable of considerable destruction. Persistent raids on the vegetable patch and the bark stripping of young fruit trees has warranted their destruction whenever they clash with agricultural interests. The great fecundity of the cottontail places it in no jeopardy of extinction in spite of this persecution.
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