"One hundred years ago, Texas was very different. A rural population was spread thinly across the eastern and central parts of the state, and vast lands in the western regions were still undisturbed. Wolves, both gray and red; black bears; black-footed ferrets; cougars; and many other species of wildlife that are now reduced or extinct were common then.".

"In 1905, Vernon Bailey, chief naturalist for the U.S. Biological Survey, published his comprehensive survey of the status of mammals in Texas at that time. Now, nearly one hundred years later, David Schmidly compares Bailey's report with the status of mammals in the state today. The result is a look back at what happened to the natural environment in Texas during the twentieth century.".

"This book will give Texans a close and authoritative view of how their land once looked. More importantly, it will tell them what has happened to their wildlife heritage and what they might do to protect it in the future."--BOOK JACKET.