182 Allen Generic Names of Chinchillida 3 . 



case, however, is different with Callomys D'Orbigny and Geof- 

 froy Saint-Hilaire mentioned above. 



The authorf* of this genus included in it three species only, 

 namely, Callomys viscaccia, Callomys laniger, and Callomys 

 aureus. The first had already been assigned to the genus Vis 

 caccia by Schinz, and upon the second the name Chinchilla had 

 been bestowed by Brooks. This leaves the Callomys aureus 

 only for consideration. Callomys aureus is based on furrier's 

 skins, lacking the feet, the ears and the tail, and, of course, the 

 skull; consequently the species may be treated as indetermina 

 ble and consequently Callomys is indeterminable. Waterhouse 

 and others have considered Callomys aureus as referable to the 

 genus L/agidium, but it would seem an unwarranted proceeding 

 to displace Lagidium with the name Callomys on the basis of a 

 species so imperfectly described as C. aureus. It hence seems 

 proper to recognize for the three genera of the Chinchillidce the 

 names Viscaccia, Chinchilla, and Lagidium. 



