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910 



MONOGKAI'llS OF NORTH AMERICAN RODENTIA. 



Yet Pomiant, in 1771, in his Synopsis of Quadrupeds (as also in all of his 

 subsequent accounts of that animal), referred both of these to his "Alaryland 

 Marmot ", as he did also the " Monax" of Edwards, the " Glis marmottn, ame- 

 ricanus," of Klein, the "Glis (marmota americana)" of ]}risson, and the Af'is 

 monax of Linnrous, without apparently having any personal acquaintance witli 

 citiicr of them. Although his first reference is to the "Bahama Coney", his 

 description relates mainly to the Maryland Marmot, but in his account of its 

 distribution and habits he includes the "Bahama Coney". Erxleben, in 1777, 

 followed Pennant in referring Catesby's Bahama Coney, and all the subse- 

 quent names of Klein, Brisson, and others based thereon, to his Glis monax, 

 as well as the "Monax" of Catesby and Edwards, supposing, as did Pennant, 

 that all were referable to the same animal. Erxleben Was followed by Gme- 

 lin and nearly all systematic writers down to Audubon and Bachman, who 

 appear to have been the first to call attention to the total distinctness of 

 Catesby's two species. Thus the confusion created by Pennant in 1771 con- 

 tinued for fully three-fourths of a century. As late as 1822, Sabine attri- 

 buted to Erxlel)en the "credit" of uniting the references of his predecessors, 

 based on Pennant's Monax and Bahama Coney, and of thus correcting their 

 error of regarding them as distinct, while in reality he only greatly empha- 

 sized the confusion that originated six years earlier with Pennant, by lending 

 it the authority of his name. As shown in the references given at the head 

 of tiie present article, Schreber is almost the only one among the early gen- 

 eral systematic writers who escaped the error of uniting Catesby's Monax 

 and Bahama Coney. 



The only prominent synonym of the Arctovnjs monax is emjyetra, a name 

 originating with PalLis, and based by him on a specimen of Spermophilus 

 "parryi"* but in his references he cites the Quebec Marmot of both Pennant 



a Ibibliit. Tbey fucd wbully on wild Fruit and other VvgetablcB : Wben Burpriz'd by Hnnten tbey 

 retreat t4> Holes in Kocks. Their Flesh is eatuonied very good, it has more the Taste of a Fig than that 

 of n Rabbit. I take it to be nearly of the Kind of the Slui Alpittiu, or Marmol. Baii Syn. Quad. p. HI."— 

 (Catksuy, Nal. Hint, of Carolina, Florida, and Ihe Bahama Itlandi, vol. ii, 1743, p. 79, pi. luix.) 



"Harmota Americana. 

 " The Monax. 

 "This Animal is abont the Bigness of a wild Rabbet; anti of a brown Colonr, the Head also 

 rexcinbles most that of a Rabbet, except that Ihe Kara are short, like those of a Squirrel ; the Feet are 

 like those of a Itat, the Tail is like that of a Squirrel, lint much less hairy. It f«e<ls on Hread, Fniit and 

 other Yi'getablo Diet. At certain Times Ihey retire to llieir snbterraneons Lodgings, and sleep oontinnally 

 n Mouth or l<nigi-r together : They are Inhabitants of Maryland, I'lnntjilrania <fr. Their Flesh is esteemed 

 gowl Meat." — (CATRsnv, Xat Hint, oj Carolina, Florida, and Ihe Bahama hlandt, App. p. xxviii.) 



* See farther the discnssiou of the synonymy of SpemophiUa empetra{= S.parrfl auct.), antti, p. S43. 



