General Notes. 
147 
THE GENERIC NAMES SREOTIIOS AND ICTICYON. 
In Mr. Oldfield Thonuis’s important paper' On various South American 
IMammals’ (Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (8), XI11, pp. oio-dl):!, March, 
1914) he treats at some length the generic and sul)generic names of the 
South American Canidee. After referring to the "extreme confusion” 
in which these names have " alwaj's been involved,” he says: "The 
names Speolhos (syn. Icticpon) ior venaticus and Cliry&ocyon iov juhatus 
are clearly settled, and do not need further reference” {1. c., p. 351). 
On the next page lie gives a list of the six generic names he considers 
valid, with tlieir genotypes, in which Icticyon is omitted and SpeotJios 
stands; Speotlios . . . Bush-dogs. Type, venaticus.” As, however, 
Speothos and Icticyon were both monotypic when founded, and the species 
referred to them were non-congeneric, it would seem that some "further 
reference” is necessary. 
Speothos was founded by Lund in 1839.* After ])resenting a resume of 
its differential characters he says: 
" Cette espbce pent done etre separee du reste du genre des Chiens avec 
le meme raison qu’on asejiare lesGuejjards des outres Chats, ])Our former 
un petit groupe a part, groupe pour lequel je propose le nom de Speothos, 
ainsi que I’espece fossile du Bresil, celui de Speothos pacivovus, d’apres 
I’animal dont il faisait sa iirincipale uonrntare (Cuilogenys laticeps}.” 
In his accompanying list of the mammals of the Rio das Velhas drainage 
(L c., p. 332) Speothos pacivorus is No. 24. The genus Speothos and its 
single species were later t fidly described and the skull figured. 
Icticyon was first proposed in 1843,1: four years after Speothos was 
founded, with Icticyon venaticus sp. nov. as the type and only species, 
and fully described and figured in 1845.§ 
As Speothos and Icticyon contained each only a single species when 
founded, Icticyon venaticus could not in any case be the type of Speothos, 
and until it is shown that Speothos pacivorus and Icticyon venaticus are 
congeneric, Icticyon and not Speothos will remain the proper generic 
name for the Bush-dogs, with pacivorus as genotype of Speothos and 
venaticus as genotype of Icticyon. — J. A. Allen. 
LUMINOUS EARTHWORMS IN WASHINGTON, D. C. 
During the month of iMay, 1914, one of us (H. S. B.) while spading 
for a garden at his residence in the northeast section of Washington, D. C., 
turned up several specimens of a luminous earthworm. These were quite 
near the surface, the earth being rather moist. Later in the month, in 
*Lund, C'oup-d’oeil siir les especes (^toiiites de Mamiiiil'eres du 15ri5sil; exlmit de 
quelques m^moires presumes a rAcadeinie royale des Sciences de Copenhague.—Ann. 
des Sciences natiirelles, ser. 2, Vol. XI, 1839, pp. 214-2:14. .'Speothos, p. 224. 
tKgl.Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Nat. og Matli. Afliandl., XI, 1815, pp. 55-01, pi. xix, 
lig. 1, 2 (skull), pi. xlv. tig. 4-9 (teeth). 
t Oversigt Kgl. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. t’orhandl. for 1842 (1843), p. 80. 
l^Kgl. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Nat. og Math. Afhandl., XI, 1845, pp. 01-72, pi. xli 
(animal), pi. xliii, tig. 1-5 (skull). 
