24 



NORTH AMERICAISr FAUNA. 



[No. 38. 



(Bachman); the other, Talpa tseniata, is synonymous with Scapanus 

 iovmsendii (Bachman). 



The same year that Le Conte's revision appeared, a mole related 

 to the Japanese genus TJrotrichus was collected by George Gibbs in 

 the Cascade Mountains of western Washington. This specimen later 

 became the type of TJrotrichus gihhsii Baird,* a species which subse- 

 quently became the type of the genus Neilrotrichus Gunther.^ 



In 1875 Gill ^ presented a synopsis of the Insectivora, in which he 

 classified families, subfamiUes, and genera, dividing the family 

 Talpidse into two subf amihes, Talpinse and Myogahnse. The Talpinse 

 were further subdivided into three sections, Talpse, Condylurse, and 

 Scalopes; the Myogalinse into the sections Mygalse and Urotrichi. 

 The American genus Condylura represented the section Condylurse; 

 Scalops and Scapanus (including also the form now known as Para- 

 scalops) represented the section Scalopes; TJrotrichus (including also 

 the present Neiirotrichus) and the shrewlike TJropsilus formed the 

 section Urotrichi. 



Two years after Gill's synopsis was published there appeared a 

 preliminary revision of the American Insectivora by Coues,* in 

 which he listed six species of moles belonging to four genera. 



Dobson,^ in an extensive revision of the Insectivora pubHshed in 

 1883, gave detailed accounts of the taxonomic characters and anatomy 

 of moles, recognizing five American species which he placed in four 

 genera. 



However, it was not until True's monumental revision ® of the 

 American moles, in 1896, that the distribution and taxonomic rela- 

 tionships of the group in America began to be understood. True 

 recognized eleven forms, distributed among eight species of five 

 genera, and described one new species, Scapanus orariusJ 



LIST OF GENERIC NAMES THAT HAVE BEEN USED FOR AMERICAN 



MOLES. 



Astromycter Harris, Amer, Joum. Sci. and Arts, vol. 9, p. 400, June, 1825 (from 

 Machias, Me., *'Star" [newspaper]). A synonym of Condylura Illiger. Based 

 on an abnormally colored specimen of Condylura cristata with the tail in the 

 enlarged winter condition. 



Astromyctes Gray, List Spec. Mamm. Brit. Mus., p. 76, 1843. Misprint for Astro- 

 mycter Harris {= Condylura IlLLger). 



Astromydes Blyth, Cat. Mamm. Asiat. Soc. Mus., p. 87, 1863. Misprint or emenda- 

 tion for Astromycter Harris {—Condylura Illiger). 



1 Baird, S, F., Reports Explor. & Surv. Pacific Railroad, vol. 8, part 1, p. 76, 1857. 



2 Giinther, A., Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 441, October, 1880. 



3 Gill, T., Bui. U. S. Geol. & Geog. Surv. Terr., no. 2, series 2, pp. 91-120, 1875. 



< Coues, E., Bui. U. S. Geol. & Geog. Surv. Terr., vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 631-653, May 15, 1877. 

 BDobson, G. E., Monograph of the Insectivora, systematic and anatomical. Part 2, including the 

 families Potamogalidse, Chrysochloridae, and Talpidas, 1883. 

 8 True, F, W., Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 19, pp. 1-U2, 1896. 

 7 True, F. W., loc. cit., p. 62. 



