PSYCHE. 



[December i$9i. 



slightly pilose, & with two conspicuous 

 tufts of short hairs on the posterior part 

 of the thorax. 



There has been discovered in the 

 state of Maine a species of the genus 

 Condylura of Illiger, which presents 

 characters distinct from those of the two 

 species which have been described by 

 naturalists. This animal has the teeth 

 of the Condylura (Sorex) cristata, 

 but not the knotted tail of that species. 

 This species I have examined, & per- 

 pared an account of it, for the Boston 

 Journal of Philosophy & Arts, & have 

 called it Condylura prasinata. Colour 

 green : Length from end of the snout to 

 origin of the tail 4^ inches: Length 

 of tail 3 inches : c i re n inference of the 

 tail ( \ inch from its insertion) 1 ± 

 inch. Cai'uncles on the nose 22 in 

 number, the two intermediate superior 

 ones united at base, & situated a little 

 anterior of the rest. On each of the 

 phalanges of the fore-feet 3 acuminated, 

 triangular scales or cuticular processes, 

 situated on the inside, near the meta- 

 carpo-phalangal articulation. Tail, 

 nearly three quarters as long as the 

 body, strangulated at its insertion, 

 becoming abruptly very large, & taper- 

 ing toward the extremity. The caudal 

 vertebras not distinguishable through 

 the mass of fat with which they are 

 enveloped : No transverse folds or 

 ridges on the tail, its surface being per- 

 fectly uniform, & the hairs, with which 

 it is thinly clothed, are not disposed in 

 whorls. Such a structure of the tail 

 shews the inaptitude of the generic 

 name Condylura. Please inform me 



whether this species has fallen under 

 your observation, & how you think it 

 would answer to propose for it the 

 generic name of Astromycter, from 

 asTTip, a star, & fiVKTtjp, the proboscis. 



Is the cabinet of Mr. Melsheimer now 

 in existence ? and have any descriptions 

 been published of the insects, to which 

 he has given names in his catalogue? 

 (Of course I except yours in the Jour- 

 nal Acad. Nat. Sc.) The catalogue 

 can be of no service without such de- 

 scriptions, or access to the original 

 specimens. 



I wait with pleasant anticipations for 

 the appearance of your second volume 

 of American Entomology, and for your 

 promised account of the Coleoptera, in 

 the Journal of the Acad. Nat. Sc. 



Please let me hear from you soon ; & 

 allow me to express, for your success in 

 ail vour undertakings, the best wishes of 

 Your much obliged friend, 



T. Wm. Harris. 



[DRAFT OF REPLY BY THOMAS SAY.] 



May 21, 1825. 



Dear Sir, 



As you have asked my 

 opinion relative to the Condylura, I 

 think it my duty to return you an 

 answer without delay, in order to 

 apprize vou that you have no time to 

 lose in publishing an account of your 

 species, as a person here is about to 

 publish what he calls a Fauna Ameri- 

 cana in which I suppose this animal 

 will be included. Are you sure it is a 



