414 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1893. 



The tail is mostly black above, the white being mostly half-rings con- 

 fined to the lower surface. These two specimens accord with the 

 peculiar phases of geographical color-variation commonly character- 

 izing the mammals and birds of the two regions in question. Should 

 the Oregon specimen here described prove to indicate the average 

 condition of the species along the Pacific coast to the northward, as 

 seems probable, the form there prevailing may require to be 

 varietallv distinguished under the name raptor Baird, this name 

 doubtless referring to the Pacific coast form as already explained. 

 Five specimens from near the southern border of Texas agree in 

 being rather darker than the Arizona specimen and present only a 

 moderate range of color variation." 



The three additional specimens from ( irant's Pass sufficiently con- 

 firm the color characters alluded to by Dr. Allen to make the 

 question of subspecific separation worth careful consideration. With 

 this in view 1 have, through the courtesy of Mr. F.W. True, secured 

 the loan of the Smithsonian Institution series of Bassariscus astutus. 

 The series consists of eighteen specimens ; of these the majority are 

 hunters, or fiat skins, lacking skulls. Skulls accompany eight, 

 measurements and data, five, and the whole series is labeled with the 

 locality of capture. 



Beside these and the ( )regon specimens, I have examined tour in 

 the museum of the Academy of Natural Sciences, making a total of 

 twentv-five. Among them is the type, skin and skull, of Baird's 'i>. 

 raptor.'' A most valuable and important addition to the series con- 

 sists in a set of five (2 cf s, 2 9 s and 1 juv. S ) finely prepared skins 

 and skulls from Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico, taken in 1892, by 

 Mr. P. P. Jouy. 



Apart from their excllent preservation and full data these speci- 

 mens are unique in being the only ones in the series taken in the 

 southernmost range of B. astutvs, where it overlaps the habitat of B. 

 sumichrasti. 



We must first determine from what locality came the type speci- 

 mens of ashdvs. Lichtenstein states in his description that these 

 were sent to the Berlin Museum by one Dr. Deppe during the 

 residence of the latter in Mexico. We are left to our imagination 

 as to the precise locality of Dr. Deppe's residence, and, while it is 

 reasonable to believe that the type specimens were taken in the 

 "vicinity" and that it is very probable the doctor "practised" 



