120 



described by Sabine in 1822, and afterwards by Richardson, Kennicott, 

 and Prof. Baird; as the earlier descriptions were based on the accounts 

 given by Sabine and Richardson, it has, as Mr. Allen observes, "fortu- 

 nately escaped synonyms." It was unknown to Audubon and Bachman 

 until as late as 1851. It is a species of limited range; Dr. Coues found 

 it abundant in the vicinity of Pembina ; it occurs in Minnesota and 

 over the prairie region of Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa. Dr. 

 P. R. Hoy met with it in Eastern Kansas; it extends further south, but 

 is not near so common as S. tridecemlineatm. 



The species, oddly enough, has been introduced into New Jersey, where 

 it is rapidly increasing and becoming thoroughly naturalized. Regard- 

 ing its introduction to the sea-board, I quote from Dr. Allen : 



"I learned of its introduction there from Mr. Samuel Jillson, who first wrote me 

 about it some three or tour years since. Writing him recently for further information 

 respecting the date and manner of its introduction, as well as for information respecting ' 

 its present numbers, and the area of its range, ho has kindly replied as follows, under 

 date of Tuckerton, New Jersey, May 6, 1877 : ' The date of its introduction is May, 1867, 

 when a single pair was brought here from Illinois by Mr. Sylvester Mathis. This pair 

 soon gnawed out of their cage and escaped. This was in the village of Tuckerton. 

 They are very common on all the farms here, three miles from the village of Tuckerton. 

 They seem to always keep in the fields, as I have never seen them in the woods. I find 

 very little dirt at the mouth of their burrows — sometimes none. From one to two buck- 

 ets of water poured in their holes will bring them out. We kill all we can on our farm. 

 They destroy young chickens and turkeys, and the dogs dig large holes in our fields in 

 trying to get at the gophers. I once found^one in a salt-hay stack, in spring, dead and 

 coiled up in the smallest ball possible. I also found one dead in my barn well. I think 

 many of them winter in stacks and out-buiidinga, for I never could drown out any late 

 in the fall in the flat fields. They are never seen here in winter, and no doubt are then 

 dormant." 



Thus, from this single pair, accidentally introduced in New Jersey 

 only eleven years ago, the species has spread over a belt some thir- 

 teen miles long and several miles in breadth. Its numbers already ren- 

 der it a farm pest which will not be soon, if ever, eradicated. That the 

 species is capable of reproducing itself so abundantly in a region so dif- 

 ferent and so distant from its original habitat, is also suggestive. Their 

 sudden distribution over so large an area is due in part to their disposi- 

 tion to migrate from one field to another. Not less than a dozen have 

 been known to appear in a region where none were seen the previous 

 summer. 



Mr. Kennicott, in his interesting and detailed account of the habits of 

 'this species, in the Agricultural Report of the Patent OflBce, states that 

 the males lead a wandering life in the summer, and that pairs appear to 

 frequently change their quarters, leaving their winter burrows to breed 



