40 Reply to Br. Harlarfs Note. 



just quoted, it would be precisely correct; thus — " The S. 

 picta of this author ( Dr. H. ) is identical with the species 

 previously known to naturalists as the S. intermixta." It 

 is not my intention to enter into any controversy on this 

 subject, but in justice to myself I must state that the S. in- 

 termixta was long known to be a species described by me 

 to almost every gentleman in this city who paid any atten- 

 tion to this subject; and in two cabinets at least, besides my 

 own, the specimens of these animals were labelled with that 

 name — This was known to Dr. H. himself before he pub- 

 lished or wrote his description. 



With regard to the other animal, Dr. Harlan observes — 

 " S. Jeffersoniana, Green, was previously described as a 

 variety of S. variolata, at page 334 of this Synopsis;" (for 

 p. 334, read p. IS.) I am at a loss to discover the Doctor's 

 object in this note. The variety of the S. variolata was not 

 described before the S. Jeffersoniana, according to his own 

 showing — for upon turning to the date of his paper it will 

 be seen that it was " read December 12, 1826" — whereas 

 my paper was " read October 23, 1826." His paper was 

 published in February, 1S27, and mine in January, 1827. 

 By what rule of arithmetic he makes out a priority of claim 

 I cannot determine. But suppose the Dr. to be correct in 

 his calculation, I contend that the animals are wholly differ- 

 ent. Before describing the S. Jeffersoniana, I compared it 

 not only with a number of specimens of the Variolata, but 

 also with the very animal to which he alludes; and both in 

 my own judgment, and in that of some friends who were 

 present, the two species were distinct. The truth is, that 

 there is perhaps no species better characterized than the S. 

 Jeffersoniana — those who are curious on this subject may 

 see the descriptions and figures of both — The S. variolata 

 will be found in the Jour. Acad. Nat. Sc. vol. i. p. 460, pi. 18, 

 the other in the first No. of the Contributions, &c. plate 1 . 



