MURIDA—SIGMODONTES—HESPEROMYS PALUSTRIS. Telit 
Journal (vol. xxxi), bestowing on it the name of Mus palustris, making use 
of the head‘of our specimen for an examination of the teeth.” 
Thus it appears that Harlan’s species was based, in part at least, upon 
the very same specimen that afterward became the type of Arvicola oryzt- 
vora, Aud. & Bach. The latter authors, naturally disliking Harlan’s pre- 
emption of their species, re-appropriated it to themselves in this wise :—They 
took it for an Arvicola, and reasoned that “as the name ‘Arvicola palustris’ 
is preoccupied (Harzan,* Fauna, p. 136) we are‘favored with an opportunity 
* * of restoring it to its true genus under the name [oryzivora] given by 
its legitimate describer.” How such excellent naturalists as Audubon and 
Bachman could have been betrayed into such a blunder as to consider Oryzo- 
mys an Arvicola, we cannot imagine ; but they were just as wide of the mark 
when they placed Hesperomys sonoriensis, LeC., and “campestris”, LeC., and 
‘‘texana”, Woodh.,, all under Arvicola ; and when they described the Texan 
Sigmodon as Arvicola texiana. To be sure, it was vexatious that Harlan 
should have anticipated them in such a summary way; but for this often- 
recurring accident there is no help that we can see; and, at any rate, the 
genus Arvicola proved an inconveniently small loop-hole in this case. 
TABLE XXXI.—Measurements of twenty specimens of HESPEROMYS PALUSTRIS. 
Nose to— g 
s re) 3 
8 Locality. Collector. 3 S é R=) Nature. 
aie elelteizeleletets 
A |n {A |/A | o};a |/a!lsa | a] a 
433% |....] Society Hill, S.C.......-.. METAS Camtasts aaa | ates | Pes | ae ee 4.00 | 4.50 | 0.50 | 1.18 | 0.54] Dry. 
$44 | of |--.--- Gen a taceeen ce Ae SENG (seen ae | See |e 1,33 | 3.75 | 3.60 | 0.48 | 1.17 | 0.52 |....do 
TOY GA bed Eases Oe ee ate aceite ernie nbs nseetceste cel Seca | A =sa\|Boseine 4.00 | 3.80 | 0.52 | 1.17 | 0.50 |..--do. 
1248 |....].-3--. Ci ener ecea- bobs ne Soodki) casas Pe sosce4|Sebsac||2s5a4|[Se455- 4.50 | 4.80 | 0.53 | 1.15 | 0.53 | ...do. 
2603 |.--. 0.54 | 1.12 | 1.30 | 4.10 | 4.05 | 0.45 | 1.10 | 0.52 | Alcoholic. 
2604 |. 0.€0 | 1.10 | 1.35 | 4.25 | 4.05 | 0.50 | 1.15 | 0.58 - do. 
2605 |.... 0.52 | 1.09 | 1.25 |...... 3.75 | 0.43 | 1.08 | 0.45 | ...do. 
2609 |.... 0.59 | 0.96 | 1.25 | 3.70 | 3.80 | 0.42] 1.11 | 0.52 . do. 
9610 |.--- 0.60 | 1.10 | 1.35 | 3.80 | 4.50 | 0.50} 1.18] 0.50] ...do. 
| 0.90 | 1.35 | 4.00 | 4.20 | 0.48 | 1.12 | 0.55 do 
2612 | 9 52} 1.00} 1.25 | 4.00 | 3.90 | 0.44 | 1.05 | 0.50 do. 
2702 | ¢ 0.5) | 0.90} 1.20 | 3.60 | 3.85 | 0.45 | 1.01 | 0.45 do. 
+7488 |... Beck SSCA Roser) reed beens Baer Semele steg | S5- Se do. 
2710 |....| Tehuantepec, Mexico ..... ad. P; Postel... -=- 0.60 | 1.12 | 1.30 | 3.75 | 4.25 | 0.59 | 1.15 | 0.55 do. 
7h ee GOiewemanaedann= eee OO nn ace afl ewe aon |temres | (O.COL Me AU NEO. 50) | lod On iOn 4 ..do, 
2606 -| Dr. Gesner.--...- 0.61 | £12] 1.40 | 4.55 | 3.70 | 0.52 | 1.16 }...... . do. 
2607 0.65 | 1.19] 1.60 | 4.65 | 3.90 | 0.50 | 1.14 | 0.52 | -..do. 
3701 4.25 | 4.50 | 0.46 | 1.06 | 0.46 | Dry. 
3702 4.75 | 4.00 | 0.50} 1.10] .... . do. 
3327 = 5.50 | 5.00 | 0.57 | 1.20] ..... .--do. 
9436 |....| Tehuantepec, Mexico -.--. F. Sumichrast. --- 4.25 | 4.50 |....:. (oh eet WACO 
* This number is complemented by suckling young from Nos. 9998 to 10012, inclusive. 
* Harlan’s Arvicola pulustris is= A. riparius, Ord. 
