On Caproiagus, a new genus of Leporine Mammalia. 163 



In Dr. Barton's ' Compendium Florae Philadelphicse ' this plant 

 is named " wild potato-vine/' It is common in the swamps of 

 New Jersey, but more abundant perhaps in East Florida, where 

 the writer of this article, in exploring that desolate country be- 

 fore its cession to the United States, found its tuberculous roots 

 to be a most excellent succedaneum for the potato. 



The root mentioned in Smith's ' History of Virginia ' under 

 the name of Tockawhoughsj which some have supposed to be the 

 potato, is the plant called in Jefferson's ^ Notes on Virginia ' 

 Tuckahoe, the Lycoperdon tuber. It has no resemblance to the 

 potato. 



Thus there is no evidence whatever, that either the colonists of 

 Hoanoke or those of James Town had ever seen the potato among 

 the natives of those countries ; and we are warranted in asserting 

 that there has not been a single instance of this plant being ob- 

 served in a wild state in any part of the United States by any of 

 the numerous botanists who have assiduously explored our coun- 

 try. Should it be found in those extensive tracts which yet in- 

 vite research, happy will the discoverer be to whom this honour 

 shall belong of adding to our flora a production, that, on the 

 score of utility, is worthy to be ranked among those vegetables 

 which greatly contribute to the wealth of nations by augmenting 

 the sustenance of man. 



XXIV. — Description of Caprolagus, a new genus of Leporine 

 Mammalia, By E. Blyth, Esq., Curator of the Asiatic So- 

 ciety's Museum *. 



In the ' Bengal Sporting Magazine ' for August 1843, p. 131, 

 Mr. Pearson has described an animal by the name Lepus hispidus, 

 which I have long been very desirous of examining, and have 

 sought to procure by every opportunity that has offered ; and the 

 Society has at length been favoured with a fine specimen of it 

 by our esteemed correspondent and contributor, Major Jenkins, 

 Political Agent in Assam. 



As I fully expected, this animal has proved to be not satisfac- 

 torily admissible into Lepus, as the limits of generic divisions are 

 now currently accepted, but must be regarded as a third generic 

 type of the Leporina, Waterhouse ; or rather it is a very strongly 

 marked modification of the Lepus subtype, and not so distinct a 

 form (equivalent to Lepus) as is that of Lagomys. In all its more 

 essential characters it is akin to Lepus, but exhibiting very con- 

 siderable modification in the various details of its structure. The 

 head is large, the eyes small, the whiskers slight and inconspi- 



* From the Joiivnal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, No. 76. 



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