916 MONOGRAPHS OF NOBTB AMERICAN RODENTIA. 



Yel Pennant, in 1771, in his Synopsis of Quadrupeds (as also in all of his 

 subsequent accounts of thai animal), referred both of these to his "Maryland 

 Marmol ", as he did also the "Monax" of Edwards, the u Glis marmotta, ame- 

 ricanus," of Klein, the "Glis (marmota americana)" of Brisson, and the Mus 

 monax of Linnaeus, without apparently having any personal acquaintance with 

 either of them. Although his first reference is to the "Bahama Coney", his 

 description relates mainly to Hie Maryland Marmot, but in his account of its 

 distribution and habits he includes the "Bahama Coney". Erxleben, in 1777, 

 followed Pennant in referring Catesby's Bahama Coney, and all the subse- 

 quent names of Klein, Brisson, and others based thereon, to his Glis monax, 

 as well as the "Monax" of Catesby and Edwards, supposing, as did Pennant, 

 that all were referable to the same animal. Erxleben was followed by Gme- 

 lin and nearly all systematic writers down to Audubon and Bachman, who 

 appear to have been the first to call attention to the total distinctness of 

 Catesby's two species. Thus the confusion created by Pennant in 1771 con- 

 tinued for fully three-fourths of a century. As late as 1822, Sabine attri- 

 buted to Erxleben the "credit" of uniting the references of his predecessors, 

 based on Pennant's Monax and Bahama Coney, and of thus correcting their 

 error of regarding them as distinct, while in reality he only greatly empha- 

 sized the confusion that originated six years earlier with Pennant, by lending 

 it 1 lie authority of his name. As shown in the references given at the head 

 of the present article, Schreber is almost the only one among the early gen- 

 eral systematic writers who escaped the error of uniting Catesby's Monax 

 and Bahama Coney. 



The only prominent synonym of the Arctomys monax is empetra, a name 

 originating with Pallas, and based by him on a specimen of Sjiermoplulus 

 "parryi",* but in his references he cites the Quebec Marmot of both Pennant 



a Rabbit. They feed wholly ou wild Fruit and other Vegetables : When surpriz'd by Hunters they 

 retreat to Holes in Rocks. Their Flesh is esteemed very good, it has more the Taste of a Pig than that 

 of a Rabbit. I take it to be nearly of the Kind of the Mus Alpinus, or Marmot. Iiaii Syn. Quad. p. 221." — 

 (Catesby, Nat. Hist, of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands, vol. ii, 1743, p. 79, pi. lxxix.) 



" Makmota Americana. 

 " The Monax. 

 "This Animal is about the Bigness of a wild Rabbet; and of a brown Colour, the Head also 

 resembles most that of a Rabbet, except that the Ears are short, like those of a Squirrel ; the Feet are 

 like those of a Rat, the Tail is like that of a Squirrel, but much less hairy. It feeds ou Bread, Fruit aud 

 other Vegetable Diet. At certain Times they retire to their subterraneous Lodgings, and sleep continually 

 a Mouth or lunger together: They are Inhabitants of Maryland, Pennsylvania fc. Their Flesh is esteemed 

 good Meat."— (CATESBY, Xat. Hist, of Carolina, Florida, and flic Bahama Islands, App. p. xxviii.) 



■ farther the discussion of tho synonymy of Spermophilus empetra (= S. parryi auct.), anted, p. 842. 



