4V8 



MONOGRAPHS OF NORTH AMERICAN RODENTIA. 



species being called Dipus canadensis. The article Was immediately copied 

 into Tillocii's Pliiiotioj'liical Magazine,* with reproduction of the colored 

 plates by wliich it was illustrated. These same figures, representing the ani- 

 mal in activity and in repose, were also copied by Dr. G. Shaw in his General 

 Zoology in 1801 (plate 161), and the species became established upon this 

 name '^canadensis", already tbe tliird one bestowed upon it. 



Tlie fourth designation of the species, "Dipus americanus", is derived 

 from Barton ; it really anticipated Davies's '^canadensis", though not in date 

 of publication. In the year 1796, Prof B. S. Barton communicated an account 

 of the species to the American Philosopliical Society, which body published 

 it in the fourth volume of their Transactions, t bearing date 1799. In this 

 article, the learned and ingenious author named a species, Dipus americanus, 

 on page 115; he discussed at length its probable relationships with Dipus 

 hudsonius of Zimmermann, and with "Mus longipes", coming to the conclu- 

 sion it was distinct; and finished with an interesting account of its habits. 

 Some years later, the same writer presented to tlie society a second paperj 

 on the species, devoted to further consideration of the creature's habits, 

 with special reference to its torpidity or hibernation. These excellent 

 accounts of Professor Barton's have probably not been excelled in accuracy 

 of detail. 



We thus see how the species came to be generally known by three dif- 

 ferent names, — hudsonius, canadensis, and labradorius, — to say nothing of the 

 ''Mus longipes". Later authors are nearly equally divided in their use of 

 those terms, but hudsonius clearly has priority. Coming to later synonyms, 

 I find a quotation of a Gerbillus sylvaticus, a name said to liave been proposed 

 by S. L. Mitchill, without accompanying description ; and also of a Meriones 

 nemoralis, attributed to Is. Geoffroy St. Hilaire. These references I have not 

 been able to verify. 



Afler treating of "Gerbillus" canadensis, in his Fauna Americana, in 

 182.'), apparently from fair acquaintance with the animal, Dr. R. Harlan, in 

 1839,§ described specimens from Philadelphia as a new species under the 



* An Account of t'lo.ImnpinK MoiiBe of Conacio, />i/>iM oaiia(ieiia<«. ByT. Davles. < Tilloch'n Pbtl. 

 MsK. i, Aut,'. 17!W, pp. aav,>H7, pi. viii, «g8. (colored) 1, 2. (From Tr. Linn. Soo. iv, 1798, pp. 155-157.) 



l8on)n nccnnnt of iiii Ainoricun 8|h>cI«h of UipiiH or .Jerboa. < Trans. Anier. PbiloB. 8oc. iv, No. 

 xii, pp. 114-124, with pi. not nunibcroil opp. p. ia4. " Komi " 1795 ; vol. diitetl 1799. 



tSnpplcnicnt to tliu u:xonut of tliii UipuB americaiim, in tli« IV. Vol. of tlie Transact iooH of tiio 

 Society. Siio No. XII. < Tnms. Aincr. Pliilos. Soc. vi, 1S04, pp. 143, 144. Roa<l Dec. 1803 ; vol. dated 1804. 



f On a Now HpcciiM of Mcrioncn. < Proc. Zoi'il. Soc. I^n<1. vil, .Iiin. 1839, p. 1. 8nb8«<|ui'nt to tbo 

 collection of tlio iintlior'H jinpi^rH pnbliHliid liy livdin It. Ilnllny, nndi-r tlie titio »( " Medical and Physical 

 R.'Hcnrchi'H" ("vo, Philndn. I":!".). 



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