256 
JUMPING MOUSE. 
wheat or buckwheat. Its enemies are cats, owls, weasels, and foxes, 
which all devour it. 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
If there is no mistake in regarding all the varieties of Jumping Mice in 
the northern parts of America as one species, this little animal has a range 
nearly as extensive as that of the white-footed Mouse. It exists, according 
to Richardson, as far to the North as great Slave Lake, Lat. 62°. It is 
found in Labrador and Nova Scotia, and in Upper and Lower Canada. 
We have seen it in the Eastern and Middle States, and obtained a specimen 
on the mountains of Virginia, but have not traced it farther to the South ; 
although we are pretty sure that it may, like the Sciurus Hudsonius be 
found on the whole range of the Alleghanies. Say observed it on the base 
of the Rocky Mountains, and Mr. Townsend brought specimens from Oregon, 
near the mouth of the Columbia River. We can scarcely doubt, that it 
wall yet be discovered on both sides of the mountains in California and 
New-Mexico. 
GENERAL REMARKS. 
On looking at our synonymes our readers will discover that this species 
has been described under an endless variety of names. We have omitted 
a reference to Rafinesque, who indicated several new species in the Ame- 
rican Monthly Magazine. We have concluded, that a writer exhibiting 
such a want of accuracy, who gives no characters by which the species 
can be known, and who has involved the science in great confusion, and 
given such infinite trouble to his successors, does not deserve to be quoted. 
We had attached to our plate the specific name given by Dr. Bar- 
ton, (M. Americnnus), this we would have preferred to either of the others, 
especially as it now seems probable, that this is the only species in North 
America. The names Hudsonius, Labradorius, and Canadensis, are all 
exceptionable, as it appears to be as abundant in the Northern and 
Eastern States, as it is in Hudson’s Bay, Labrador, or Canada. There is 
an evident impropriety, although we confess when hard pressed for a 
name we have often committed the error ourselves, in naming species 
after localities where they have been found. The Males Labrador ia of 
Sabine, and the Lepus Virginiunus of Harlan, are both familiar examples. 
Having recently had an opportunity of consulting the original description 
of Zimmerman, published between the years 1778 and 1783, we are con- 
vinced that he was the first scientific describer, and we have accordingly 
adopted his name. Barton, at a little later period, published a good 
