[•3 



tantjvc urges me then to hasten to divulge inv discoveries, Sc to continue it mum- 

 ally on the present plan, although I should prefer a bettor one if I had the choice. 

 1 lie principles of these tracts shall belong to the true linhewi school of im- 

 provement. I shall follow all the improvements that the worth v Linneus would 

 have adopted if he had lived in this age ; but I shall carefully avoid any deviations 

 irom the fundamental, rational and everlasting rules of nomenclature and descrip- 

 tive history. . ' 



The following lines shall contain manv of mv unpublished discoveries, made be- 

 tween 1316 and 1819. in the states of New-York, Pennsylvania, Vermont', New 

 Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and" Illinois, he ; but sever- 

 al must still be delayed, as well as the figures. As my Ichthyology, or natural 

 history ofthe Pishes of the Ohio, (containing 100 new species) "is now under the 

 press, the fishes of that river shall not be mentioned here. If I should occasion- 

 ill) repeat the descriptions of some few new animals and plants, already commu- 

 nicated to some societies, or journalists, the blame is their own. Why' do they 

 delay the publication of them ? and how am I to know if they ever received them, 

 ft mean to publish them r l)o they wish me to wait until somebody may follow the 

 path which I have opened, and anticipating my publications, deprive me of the 

 fruit of my labor, (as it has been already attempted) and of the only reward I ever 

 hope for my individual exertions, the esteem of the friends (/knowledge? I 

 lall very seldom mention again those which have been already published ex- 

 cept when they are only to be found in ,iour,,als of very limited circulation; or 

 when it will be needful to illustrate more carefully their characters or bisforv. 

 Aery few Reptiles, Shells and Fossils will be introduced, although they include 

 some ot my most numerous discoveries; because I have already prepared several 

 letters on our Erpetology for the American Journal of Science; I am besides en- 

 gaged in writing a general Conchology of the land shells and fresh water shells of 

 tlieL nited States and I have undertaken with Mr. John D. Clifford to de- 

 scribe all the fossil remains of the western states. 



To those who may happen to regret the continual increase of! new genera and 

 new speeds, I shall observe, that unless we detect and fix all the unknown genera 

 and species of beings existing in our country and on earth, we cannot extend and 

 secure our researches after their properties, qualities and manners. Those who 

 deplore the increase of natural knowledge, or knowledge of any kind, are'below 

 our notice; they ought to be ranked with the enemies of mankind and of our 

 moral powers. But from those who prefer to see new beingi and material* ap- 

 pear under a handsome and projix shape, J shall re.uesttoallbrdmethe means of 

 gratifying their peculiar taste, and when they do, 1 shall not fail to comply. Y, f 

 i sha I add, that it is better for the science and our purse, that many new objects 

 f-hould be introduced under a small compass, than when a few arc scatter, d 

 through amass of extraneous or compiled matter. My constant aim has been the 

 extension of knowledge rather than the compilation of old materials. I wish that 

 many naturalists and philosophers would always have the same object in V.ew. 



T ,.„..„ 0. S. HAPINKSQUE. 



J ramylvama University, * 

 March 1, 1820 



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i 



ANIMALS, 



I CLASS. MAS rosi v.— THE BUCKLERS. 



1. N . Sp. Jtdaphafiucala. Ears longer* than the head, anriculated and biack. 



Mbi <ai three- scvrnUis of iotalh-, K th, jutting only by an obtuse point; body 



brownish above, greyish beneath shoulder* and cheeks dark brown; hind feet 



..l-irkisli, hairy above; wings blackish brown -found in the northern parts of 



.!.■■ state of New York and n. Vermont. Total 1 i.gth three and an half inches. 



tnuMAtalapha (Prec.dec) contain all the Rats without fere teeth, there 



»r4 species of them in the United 8tates ill blended under the name of 



l b : w Ybettllo I novebtrace m bvthe wnt< ra 



i K.fi Rptrucus. lour mute fore-teeth to the upper taw, in two equal 



purs, .. panted bi a great interval and ■ large Hat wart, < oeh pair has tv o line- 



''" : ''",'"' 1 ' ''•"" ; r" l,M 1 "" ;| ' ,H ch larger and unequaHi bifid, the outside one 



mo. h larger, inside tooll. small and entire. §U lore -teeth to the lower aw, equal 



\ 



