36 Mamm. 
MAMMALIA. 
differ from their modern representatives by their smaller size, more con- 
stricted skulls, and their want of post-orbital processes. 
Lataste, F. Sur le bouchon vaginale des Rongeurs. Zool. Anz. vi. 
p. 115, and J. de l’Anat. Phys. xix. p. 144. 
The author shows that the “ vaginal stopper” is probably common to all 
rodents, that the mass of it is formed by the vesiculae seminales of the 
male, and that it serves to push the spermatozoa sufficiently far before it 
into the uterus to insure impregnation, and that when this has taken place, 
the stopper, till then of an adhesive nature, is surrounded by a soft, 
unctuous, non-adhesive matter secreted by the vagina of the female, 
which enables it to be more easily discharged. [Cf. Zool. Rec. xix. 
Mamm. p. 28, under Pachyuromys duprasi .] 
^ Renaut, J. Sur l’6pith61ium fen6tr6 des follicules clos de l’intestin du 
lapin et de ses stomates temporaires. C. R. xcvii. p. 334. 
SciUKIDJi. 
^ Jentink, F. A. List of the Specimens of Squirrels in the Leyden 
Museum. Notes Leyd. Mus. v. p. 91. 
The present list of the magnificent collection of squirrels in the Leyden 
Museum practically amounts to a monograph of the genus Sciurus, as 
the full synonymy is given in every case, and notes on the colour, shape of 
skull, dentition, and other characters are given for all the species of 
which the collection contains specimens. In all, the Leyden series con- 
sists of 656 specimens and 218 skulls and skeletons, belonging to 59 of the 
69 species recognized. 
-A Sciuropterus volucella . Habits in confinement ; F. G. King, Am. Nat. 
xvii. p. 36. 
Sciurus vulgaris. On its nest ; H. Landois, JB. Westf. Ver. xi. p. 20. 
•\Arctomys , Spermophilus, and Cynomys. A popular account of these 
genera ; 0. Thomas, Encycl. Brit. (9) xv. p. 559, Art. ‘ Marmot/ 
Arctomys. On a fossil marmot from Upper Swabia ; Probst, JH. Ver. 
Wiirtt. xxviii. p. 51. 
Plesispermophilus angustidens , g. & sp. nn. (fuss.), H. Filhol, Bull. Soc. 
Philom. vii. p. 99, Quercy. 
Castoridjj. 
^Castor fiber. On the trade in its furs ; 0. Grimm, l. c. p. 44 (gen. subj.). 
On its re-introduction to Great Britain ; A. Hawks, Tr. Hertf. Soc. ii. 
p. 223 (an account of the Bute beaver settlement). Notes on French 
specimens of the beaver ; it still exists in small numbers on the Rhone : 
P. G., Le Nat. ii. 1883, p. 229. On its occurrence in Holland ; H. J. H. 
Gronemann, Album Nat. 1882, p. 28. 
Castor fiber var. canadensis. On this animal ; E. Coues, Encycl. 
Am. i. p. 470, Art. ‘ Beaver.’ On an albino specimen from Washington 
Territory ; R. E. C. Stearns, Am. Nat. xvii. p. 1079. On its habits ; 
B. Horsford, Am. Nat. xvii. p. 1197. 
