HAPLODONTID^E— HISTORY AND HABITS OF H. RUFUS. 595 



The last period in the history of the animal begins in 1857, with the 

 elaboration by Professor Baird of the material gathered by the naturalists of 

 the Pacific Railroad Explorations and Surveys, and the field-notes of the nat- 

 uralists themselves, published in the vi., viii., and xii. volumes of the reporls 

 pertaining thereto. Besides Baird's elaborate article and figures, we were 

 given copious notes on the distribution, habits, &c, by Newberry, Cooper, 

 Suckley, and Gibbs. 



In 1857, the genus and species were fully treated by Professor Baird, as 

 far as the technical aspects of the case were concerned ; his characterization, 

 especially of the cranial and dental characters, being even more elaborate 

 than that given by Richardson. The skull, teeth, and some points of external 

 structure, were refigured in several views. Professor Baird's material con- 

 sisted of an Exploring Expedition specimen collected by Peale, then as now 

 mounted, and from which his account of the species was mainly derived ; of 

 three skins secured by Dr. G. Suckley at Steilacoom, Wash. Ter.; and an addi- 

 tional skin taken by Lieut. W. P. Trowbridge at Astoria, Oreg., together with 

 two skulls from Puget's Sound, appertaining to Mr. Peale's specimens. 



Dr. J. S. Newberry's note, published in the zoological portion of the 

 vi. volume of the Reports in 1857, ran as follows: — 



"This singular animal, called by Richardson [after Lewis and Clarke] 

 the Seiuellel, seems limited to a narrow district when compared with most of 

 those which, with it, inhabit the region it occupies. In Washington Terri- 

 tory it is found from the coast to the Rocky Mountains. It is doubtful 

 whether it will be found south of the Columbia,* either on the coast range, 

 in the Willamette Valley, or on the Cascades. Eastward, however, toward the 

 base of the Rocky Mountains, it may occur. I have seen two specimens, one 

 taken near Shoalwater Bay, Washington Territory, by Dr. J. Gr. Cooper, f and 

 the other obtained near the base of the Rocky mountains, which were abso- 

 lutely black, presenting a striking difference in color from those obtained by 

 Lewis and Clark, Douglas, and others, which were brown, and of nearly the 

 shade of the muskrat." 



'Audubon and Bachman tay, without qualification, that it has "been procured in California''; 

 and Baird remarks, " I have heard of an Jploriontia from the mountains of California, probably the same 

 species, but have not seen a specimen"— possibly alluding to the statement of Audubon and Baehm:m, 

 just quoted, or to some earlier account, which may have occasioned tho remarks of both these authors. 



t There is some misapprehension here ; for (see beyond) we find Dr. Cooper saying, in I860, that he 

 never procured a specimen. The actual reference is probably to Dr. Suckley, who collected extensively, 

 and was a collaborator of Dr. Cooper's. 



