MAMMALIA OF CANADA. 179 



his authorities. In all probability the statement is true but without 

 data of any kind it is scientifically worthless. 



Similarly, of the Elk [Cervus canadensis) he says, " up to a hundred 

 years ago an inhabitant of Eastern Canada, etc." " Eastern Canada" 

 is vague enough to defy criticism almost, since it may mean anywhere 

 east of the Red River which is about the central line ; but if Mr. 

 Tyrrell really has any reliable records of " Elk " in what is commonly 

 understood by " Eastern Canada," this was the proper place either to 

 give them if unpublished or to refer to them if already in print. 



In the same manner he has treated a great number of the species, 

 eluding specific criticism by taking refuge in vagueness and never 

 giving credit for quotation excepting in the case of some of the Seals, 

 The whole of his paragraph on Hesperoviys leucogaster is taken 

 verbatim or nearly so from the present writer's paper on the Mammals 

 of Manitoba, but no hint is given that it is a quotation. A similar re- 

 mark applies in the case of Syyiaptomys cooper i. It is difficult to 

 understand how the writer justifies such plagiarism. 



The Wood Hare {Lepus sylvaticus) is given as, " Becoming quite 

 common thi'oughout Ontaiio," whereas in the Northern nine-tenths 

 at least of the Province this species is unknown. 



The remark on the Pouched Gopher (Geomys bursar ius) is one of 

 the most flagrantly ignorant of any ; he says, " originally described 

 from a specimen brought from Eastern Canada." This Gopher was 

 described by Shaw from a skin " supposed to have been brought from 

 somewhere in the interior of Canada." The Geomys bursarius is 

 an animal of the Mississippi valley — it was observed in Southern 

 Manitoba by Kennicott but it is very certain that it was never taken 

 within many hundreds of miles of the region that Mr. TyiTell seems 

 usually to mean by " Eastern Canada." 



He gives the Black Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) as ranging " as far 

 west as the north shores of Lakes Hui'on and Superior." It would 

 be exceedingly interesting and valuable, if he would give substantial 

 proofs of this surprising statement, etc., etc. 



The avowed purpose of this article is to put on lecord, my objections 



