160 GLIRES. 
Saccophorus quachil, Gray, P. Z. 8S. 1843, p. 79 (sine descr.)’*. 
Geomys hispidus, Le Conte, Proc. Ac. Philad. 1852, p. 158 (descr. orig.)*; Baird, Mamm. N. Am. 
p. 886°; Coues, Proc. Ac. Philad. 1875, p. 183°; Rep. Powell’s Expl. Colorado River, 
p. 2297; Mon. N.-Am. Rodent. p. 619°; Alston, P. Z. S. 1877, p. 446°. 
Geomys heterodus, Peters, Monatsb. Ak. Berl. 1864, p. 177 (descr. orig.)"°; Frantzius, Arch. f. 
Naturg. xxxv. 1. p. 269". 
Taltusa of Guatemalans (common to Heteromys longicaudatus) . 
Hab. Mexico, Vera Cruz (Pease, Mus. Ac. Philad.>), Jalapa (de Oca, U.S. Nat. Mus.’), 
Necostla (Sumichrast, ib.°), Tehuantepec (Boucard, Mus. Brit.), Yucatan (Gaumer, 
Mus. Boucard); Guatemaua, Duefias (Salvin & Godman, Mus. Brit.; Boucard, 
Mus. Berol.), Coban (Mus. Brit.*), Guatemala city (Van Patten, U.S. Nat. 
Mus.®); Costa Rica (Zeledon & Carmiol, 1b.8), Ivazi (Hoffmann & Frantzius, 
Mus. Berol.°™). 
The Central-American Pocket-Gopher, although a very distinct species, has often 
been confused with G. mexicanus, its teeth having even been figured by Eydoux and 
Gervais under that title’*. The late Dr. Gray mentioned it as Saccophorus quachil in 
1843°°; but it was not till 1852 that the species was described by Le Conte*. Not 
being acquainted with the latter’s diagnosis, Professor Peters gave the name of G. hete- 
rodus to an example sent by Hoffmann from Costa Rica”; but his type proves identical 
with Mexican specimens. | 
This species appears to replace the last in the hotter parts of Mexico and in the other 
Central-American States, extending at least as far south as Costa Rica, where Dr. v. 
Frantzius tells us it abounds in the high-lying region on the southern and south-western 
slopes of the Volcano of Irazi up to an elevation of 8000 feet, especially where the 
ground is dry owing to an admixture of volcanic ashy sands. ‘“ Goffers are also found 
in the hot valley of Matina and on the River Sarapiqui, where they do great damage to 
the roots of the cacao-trees; but as I have never seen specimens from thence, I cannot 
say whether they belong to the same species or not. In the maize-fields of Irazt their 
number is so great that at every step you are in danger of your foot sinking into one of 
their subterranean passages; and it is consequently often necessary to relinquish the 
cultivation of maize for a year or two and to lay down the ground in pasture, when the 
cattle tramp down the passages and so disturb the Goffers that they seek some other 
place of abode. The damage which they do to the maize-crop is great; for they carry 
off great quantities of the ears in their cheek-pouches and convey them to their 
subterranean store-houses. On the surface this species, like its congeners, is very 
helpless” 4, 
In Guatemala I am informed by Messrs. Godman and Salvin that this species is very 
common all over the highlands, and traces of their presence are to be met with almost 
everywhere in the neighbourhood of Duefias; but it is an animal that is only seen by 
the rarest chance, so that only two or three specimens were brought to them by Indians ; 
