128 University of California Publications in Zoology  [Vou.17 
has been question as to the applicability of specific names our decision 
has been based on a precise interpretation of the rules of nomen- 
clature and, where possible, upon recourse to type specimens. The 
determination of species has been made at first hand, chiefly by the 
junior author, on the basis of the collections and literature at hand, 
with the exception of one genus: for the garter snakes (Thamnophis) 
we have followed Ruthven (Variations and Genetic Relationships of 
the Garter Snakes*). 
The vernacular names chosen have been selected primarily upon 
the grounds of previous use; sometimes fitness has been a factor in 
their selection. The type locality of each species has been stated as 
accurately as possible. Where the original statement of it was vague 
we have attempted to supply a more exact designation. In some 
cases this was not possible, and in a few others the type locality could 
not be determined at all. Under ‘‘synonyms’’ and ‘‘common names’’ 
are included all names, both scientific and vernacular, other than the 
accepted ones, which have been applied to the species as occurring 
in California. Where the term ‘‘part’’ is used it means that the name 
which it follows has been used for another Californian species. Where 
a name now considered synonymous with an accepted name was based 
on a specimen from California, the full citation and the type locality 
are given; lack of space prevents giving the citations for all synonyms. 
However, there is an index to all of these on file in the Museum of 
Vertebrate Zoology, to which persons interested in following the sub- 
ject farther are free to appeal. Needless to say, all of the specimens 
in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology are freely accessible for re- 
examination by any student who may wish to verify our determi- 
nations. 
Besides the species and subspecies given regular place in the 
present summary, all of which are known definitely to inhabit the 
state, there are sixty or more species accredited to California on 
grounds which do not seem to us satisfactory. Where possible we 
have assigned these species to positions in the synonymy of forms in 
good standing, but a number of them have had to be stricken entirely 
from the list as indeterminable. We have not deemed it desirable to 
list these numerous doubtful names here. 
The statements of range for the several species involve the use of 
three modes in which the distribution of vertebrate animals has been 
designated. The first and more detailed statement is of a purely 
2U. 8S. Nat. Mus. Bull., 61, 1908, pp. xii + 201, frontispiece pl., 82 figs. in text. 
