The rodents vastly outnumber all other mammals and are typified by the
squirrels, rats, and mice; their food is mainly vegetable matter, but
many of them eat insects and meat whenever available. The carnivores,
including such species as the weasel, mink, and marten, are mainly
flesh eaters, preying largely upon rodents, but they also eat insects
and fruits of many kinds. The insectivores include the moles and
shrews, which, with all the bats found within our limits, are almost
exclusively eaters of worms and insects.
While rodents primarily feed on vegetable matter, it is surprising
to note the large number of species among them which commonly feed
on insects and have strong carnivorous propensities. This is not so
much the case with such larger rodents as the beaver, porcupine, and
woodchuck, but most of the smaller kinds, from squirrels to mice, have
been found to be confirmed flesh eaters.
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