HAPLODONTID4—HISTORY AND HABITS OF H. RUFUS. 593 
figure were based. In concluding a lengthy and elaborate description, both 
of the geaus and species, Richardson alluded to the possible existence of a 
second species * in the following terms :— 
“Amongst Mr. Douglas’s specimens, there is a young one, with more 
white hairs interspersed through its fur, and some differences in the form of 
its scull, which seem to point it out as a second species. The breadth of its 
frontal bone, between the orbits, where least, is six lines, being twice the 
breadth of the same bone in A. leporina. Its nasal bones are as broad as in 
the latter, but are three lines shorter. The dentition is perfectly the same in 
both, but in the young specimen there is a new set of grinders in the lower 
jaw, which have destroyed tlie bodies of the old grinders, leaving merely a 
long process before, another behind, in each socket, resembling fangs. The 
specimen is not sufficiently perfect to enable me to give its characters as a 
distinct species, but I have little doubt of its being so.” 
It is scarcely necessary to state that the supposed existence of a second 
species has never been verified. While there is something in this account 
of the inferior molars not readily intelligible, the cranial differences noted 
may be ascribed to the immaturity of the specimen or its individual yariabil- 
ity. The author continued with an account of some color-variation observed 
in the skins of a robe, leading him again to the inference that there were two 
species of Sewellel :— 
“Since the account of this species was published in the Zoological 
Journal, Mr. Douglas has placed in my hands an Indian blanket or robe, 
formed by sewing the skins of the sewellel together. The robe contains 
twenty-seven skins, which have been selected when the fur was in prime 
order. In all of them the long hairs are so numerous as to hide the wool or 
down at their roots, and their points have a very high lustre. The general 
colour of the surface of the fur is between chestnut and umber browns, lighter, 
and with more lustre on the sides.. Some of the skins, which are in the best 
order, have the longer hairs on the back of the head, and between the shoul- 
ders almost black. . It is probable, however, that these are the skins of two 
species of sewellels, in the robe, and that one of them wants the white mark 
on the throat. The down of all the skins of the robe has a shining blackish- 
gray colour.” 
The color-variation noted by Richardson may be compared with that 
*See also beyond: Dr. Peters’s characterization of a new variety. 
38 M 
