1893.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 415 



south of the twentieth parallel in those early days, direct evidence 

 is wanting. 



Rut we have in Liechtenstein's conscientious description and plate 

 of astutus in Darstellungen der Saugethiere der zoologist-he Museum, 

 (1827-34, pi. 43) so exact a reproduction of the peculiarities of 

 the Cuernavaca specimens taken by Mr. Jouy as to leave us in no 

 reasonable doubt that the type of astutus came from southern Mexico. 

 Lichtenstein's description makes no allusion to variations from the 

 type in the numerous examples at his disposal. If, however, we 

 compare therewith specimens from northern Mexico northward we 

 find an increasing departure from the characters assigned to typical 

 astutus until, in the Oregon examples, we have a form to all appear- 

 ances quite distinct. 



It is quite proper that the two should be separated, perhaps 

 specifically, though there is some probability that a complete series 

 will insensibly connect the two extremes. Such cranial differences 

 as I have detected may all come within the range of individual and 

 geographic variation. At any rate the skull series is too incomplete 

 as vet for a decided answer. 



In either case the question arises as to the tenability of the name 

 'raptor' for the northern form. It was originally proposed for a 

 Pacific Coast species. 



The value of the name is, in the first place, lessened by the fact 

 that it was applied to an animal escaped from confinement in the east 

 and "supposed' 1 to come from California. 



The distinctive characters assigned to 'raptor' by Baird are: a, 

 small number of black rings on tail and of greater extent compared 

 with white rings ; />, black rings nearly complete below ; c, no 

 difference in colors of remaining parts of body ; d, ears decidedly 

 smaller ; e, cranium broader, more constricted behind post-orbital 

 processes ; /, temporal crests closer together ; (j, pterygoids farther 

 apart; //, ratio of greatest breadth to length 63 to 100 instead of 59, 

 as in a female from Texas. Dr. Allen has shown, and the series in 

 my possession verifies his view, that these cranial differences are 

 accountable to age, sex and individual variation. The skull of 

 raptor is nearly duplicated by No. 35,254 from Texas. I find that in 

 only one respect, the relative width of white and black tail-rings does 

 Baird's diagnosis as given above apply to the Pacific coast form as 

 contrasted with those from Texas. But even in this particular 



