1915.] 



SCAPANUS LATIMANUS LATIMANUS. 



67 



February 4, 1856. Nothing in the original description would indicate 

 that Ayres had any one particular specimen in mind; in the only 

 place in his description where specimens are mentioned, he refers to 

 the "color of fur, in the specimens seen." ^ Furthermore if Ayres set 

 aside any specimen as the type it was probably in the Museum of the 

 Cahfornia Academy of Sciences, since preceding his original descrip- 

 tion the donation of five moles to the Academy was acknowledged 

 and the following statement made concerning them: '^In connection 

 with these. Dr. Ayres presented the following description" Goc. cit.). 

 It seems, therefore, that the specimens in the United States National 

 Museum are not a part of Ayres's original series. 



Slight local variations in size and shape of skull of latimanus 

 might be worthy of subspecific recognition were they constant over 

 any considerable geographic area. However, they are so slight and 

 inconstant, and crop out so frequently, that to recognize them by 

 subspecific appellation would only be confusing, and add nothing 

 to the knowledge of the relationships of the group. Specimens from 

 the coast region north of San Francisco Bay seem to average slightly 

 larger and darker than typical specimens, but the difference is not 

 sufficiently pronounced to warrant subspecific designation. Speci- 

 mens examined from Klamath Canyon show little approach in color 

 toward S. I. dilatus, but the skulls are shorter than in typical lati- 

 manus, showing in this respect intergradation with dilatus. Speci- 

 mens from Lower Lake and Mount Sanhedrin are paler than typical 

 latimanus, probably indicating an approach toward dilatus. Inter- 

 gradation with S. I. occultus occurs in the region between Santa 

 Margarita, in San Luis Obispo County, and Santa Barbara; a speci- 

 men from the former locality is clearly intermediate, but appears to 

 be nearer latimanus. 



Specimens examined. — Total number, 171, as foUows: 



California: Aptos, 1; Bells Station, 1; Berkeley, 8; Berryessa, 1; Beswick, 2; 

 Bodega, 1; Bolinas, 1;^ Boulder Creek, 1; Brentwood, 1; Briceland, 1; Cahto, 

 2; Carmel Point, 1;^ Cazadero, 1; Colma, 1; Cuddeback, 2;^ Eldridge, 7; Fort 

 Bragg, 2; Freestone, 3;^ Gilroy, 1; Gualala, 1; Guerneville, 3;^ Hay wards, 5; 

 Hornbrook, 1 ; Inverness, 1 ; King City, 1 ; La Honda, 3 ; ^ Lower Lake 2 ; * 

 Marin County, 1; Mendocino, 3;^'^ Menlo Park, 8;^ Monterey, 1;^ Mount 

 Sanhedrin, 1;^ Napa, 1;^ Nicasio, 54; Oakland, 4;*^ Pacific Grove, 1; Palo 

 Alto, 1;* Petaluma, 2; PetroUa, 2; Piedmont, 1;^ Point Arena, 1;^ Point 

 Reyes, 1; Red Bluff, 2;^ Rockport, 2; San Francisco, 10; San Leandro, 3;^ 

 Santa Cruz, 9; Santa Margarita, 1;^ Santa Rosa, 1;^ Scott River, Siskiyou 

 County, 1;2 Snow Mountain, Colusa County, 1;* Stanford University, 1;^ 

 Stevens Creek, San Mateo County, 1; ^ Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County, 2. ^ 



» Ayres, W.O.jProc. California Acad. Sci., vol.1, p. 54, 1856. * Collection Mus.Comp.Zool., Harvard College. 

 2 Collection Mus. Vert. Zool., TJniv. California. s Collection Field Mus. Nat. Hist. 



8 Collection Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. ^ Collection Milwaukee Public Mus. 



