22 Mr. K. Andersen on 



liad to trace the history of Jourdaii's paper and F. (Javier's 

 report, wliich appears to be as follows : — 



(1) " 9 Oct. 1887 "— C. R. Ac. Sci. Paris, v. pp. 521-524. 

 This is Jourdan's original paper. It contains descriptions of 

 two new genera of mammals (Ileteropus and Nelomys) and 

 live new sjjecies {Heteropus albogidaris, Nelomys lirasiliensis, 

 llalmaturus trma, IJydromys fulvoqaster, and ParadoxuruH 

 philippinensis). No reference to Acei-odon. Tlie paper was 

 read before the Academy on 9 Oct. 1837, and presumably 

 published very soon after. 



(2) " 14 Oct. 1837 "— L'Echo du Monde Savant et 

 L'liernies *, iv. no. 275, p. 15G. Jourdan describes " three " 

 new genera, Netomys (see above), Acerodon, and Ileteropus 

 (see above). This is apijarently the earliest description of 

 the geuus A cerodon'f {uot \n\own to Palmer). The issue of 

 the weekly periodical ' L'Echo ' in which it appeared is dated 

 " Samedi, 14 octobre 1837," and was very likely published 

 on that day. 



(3) "Kov.1837" — LTnsiitut, v. no. 221, p. 351. Reprint 

 of no. (1), supra. 



(4) "2 Jan. 1838"— 0. R. Ao. Sci. Paris, vi. pp. 2-6. 

 F. Cuviei's " Rapport sur u:i memoire de M. Jourdan, de 

 Lyon, concernant quelques maininiferes nouveaux.^' This is 

 Palmer's secondary reference. Author, F. Cuvier, not 

 Jourdan ; no quotations of Juurdan's own words ; Acerodon 



* I have to thank Mr. B. B. Woodward and Mr. C Davies Sherborn 

 I'or having directed my attention to this periodical. It is not in the 

 library of the Natural History Museum. I have seen a copy in the 

 Bloumsbury Museum. 



t The chief character of Acerodon is pointed out by Jourdan in the 

 following woids : it " ditiere de toutes les autres Roussette.s, parce que ses 

 molaires sont larges transversalement, presque carries, et que celles de la 

 machoire inferieure out trois collines," and as type is fixed by the author 

 himself " la Roussette .... qui habite Tile Lu9()n, ainsi que les petites iles 

 voi.^ines." From this there is no doubt whatever that the type oi Acero- 

 don is A.Jtibatus. But Jom-dau makes also, in this connexion, some 

 remarks on the " Roussette .... rapportee de Vauicoro par MM. Quoy et 

 Gaimard " [i. e. " Fteropiis ra?ukorensis'''\, the dentition of which shows, 

 in Jourdan's opinion, some leanings towards that of Acrrodon. Here is 

 the explanation of the fact that Lesson, the only author, between 1837 

 and 1890, who recognizes Acerodon as a distinct genus, includes in the 

 o-enus two species, A. va7itkore7isis and A jubatus (N. Tabl. R. Anim., 

 Mamm. p. 14, 1842). Pt. vanikorensis, in its original sense, is a mixtui-e 

 of two widely different species, the true I't. vanikoreims (the skins 

 described by Quoy et Gaimard), a species closely allied to It. tongunus, 

 and Pt. tuherciilatMS (the skull described by the same authors, and erro- 

 neously believed by them to belong to the same species as the skins), 

 which is allied to Pt. jjselaphon. Pt. vamkore/ii-is and tuberculatus are 

 IvpicaJ members of the genus Pteropus. 



