354 
IT. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS-ZOOLOGY-GENERAL REPORT. 
naturalists, although the materials at our command are richer now than a few years ago, when 
Auduhon and Bachman were unable to find a specimen in any museum of the United States. 
Several specimens collected by Dr. Suckley and Lieut. Trowbridge do not admit of any positive 
addition to the account given above, based on Mr. Peale’s specimen. I have heard of an Aplo- 
dontia from the mountains of California, probably the same species, hut have not seen a speci¬ 
men. 
The name of Sewellel for this animal is not at present used on the northwest coast, according 
to Dr. Suckley ; it is now called ShowtT, a word quite similar in sound to the old one. Lewis 
and Clarke, in describing it under this name, mention that the tail is always removed by the 
Indians in dressing, misled by the exceedingly rudimentary condition of this member. 
It is perhaps a question whether the true name of this species he not Aplodontia rufa, after 
Rafinesque. Although his description is incorrect, it was based on the Sewellel of Lewis and 
Clarke, which is unquestionably the Aplodontia leporina of Richardson. As, however, Rafinesque 
asserts positively that certain characters apply to his Anisonyx rufa, which really do not exist 
in Aplodontia leporina , we may he warranted in avoiding the use of his specific name for Rich¬ 
ardson’s animal. It may, perhaps, he well to repeat that Rafinesque bases his description 
entirely upon a partly erroneous interpretation of the article of Lewis and Clarke. 
List of specimens. 
