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U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



naturalists, although the materials at our command are richer now than a few years ago, when 

 Audubon and Bachman were unable to find a specimen in any museum of the Uuitcd States. 

 Several specimens collected by Dr. Suckley and Lieut. Trowbridge do not admit of any positive 

 addition to the account given above, based on Mr. Peale's specimen. I have heard of an Aplo- 

 dontia from the mountains of California, probably the same species, but have not seen a speci 

 men. 



The name of Sewellel for this animal is not at present used on the northwest coast, according 

 to Dr. Suckley ; it is now called Showt'l, a word quite similar in sound to the old one. Lewis 

 and Clarke, in describing it under this name, mention that the tail is always removed by the 

 Indians in dressing, misled by the exceedingly rudimentary condition of this member. 



It is perhaps a question whether the true name of this species be not Aplodontia rufa, after 

 Rafinesque. Although his description is incorrect, it was based on the Sewellel of Lewis and 

 Clarke, which is unquestionably the Aplodontia leporina of Richardson. As, however, Rafinesque 

 asserts positively that certain characters apply to his Anisonyx rufa, which really do not exist 

 in Aplodontia leporina , we may be warranted in avoiding the use of hid specific name for Rich 

 ardson's animal. It may, perhaps, be well to repeat that Rafinesque bases his description 

 entirely upon a partly erroneous interpretation of the article of Lewis and Clarke. 



List of specimens. 



