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Show 1022 MR. OLDFIELD THOMAS ON THE [Dec. 15, 100. Tachyoryctes, Riipp.1 [Chrysomys, Gray, List Mamm. B. M. p. 150 (1843).] B. SPALACINCE. 101. Spalax, Giild. Nov. Comm. Petrop. xiv. art. i. p. 409 (1770). VIII. Geomyidae. 102. Geomys2, Raf. Am. Month. Mag. ii. p. 45 (1817). 103. Thomomys, Wied. N. Act. Leop. xix. pt. i. p. 383 (1839). IX. Heteromyidae. A. DlPODOMYIN^E. 104. Dlpodomys, Gray. Ann. Mag. N. H. vii. p. 521 (1841). 105. Perodipus, Pitz. SB. Ak. Wien, lvi. p. 126 (1867). 106. Microdlpodops, Merr. N. Am. Paun. no. 5, p. 115 (1891). B. HETEROMYINCE. 107. Perognathus3, Wied. N. Act, Ac. Leopold, xix. pt. i. p. 369 (1839). 108. Heteromys, Desm. Mamm. ii. p. 313 (1822). service to me. Some important observations on tbe relations of the Bhizo-myince to the Mascarene Sigmodontes are given by Dr. Forsyth Major, supra p. 979. 1 The African Bamboo-Rats, given provisionally the above name by Riippell, were rightly distinguished by Gray, but the distinction has been generally lost sight of till now. The molars are of quite a different structure in the two groups. It is unfortunate that RuppelTs name has to be used for this genus, as he deliberately rejected the idea of its being distinct (from Bathyergus]), and yet proposed the name in case other workers thought it valid. It is to be hoped that there are few people now left who would do a thing like this, by which an author attempts to secure priority for bis own name at the expense of somebody else's work, while he fears to take the responsibility of describing a new form for himself. Some naturalists even refuse to accept such names, and I wish I could feel justified in doing the same. 2 Dr. Merriam has divided the old genus Geomys into eight genera, but for tbe purposes of the present paper these may be most conveniently treated as of subgeneric rather than generic rank, sound as their basis as natural groups no doubt is. 3 Dr. Coues (Mon. N . A m . Rod. p. 495, 1877) speaks of separate subfamilies for Perognathus and Heteromys; but they seem really io be very closely allied to each other, especially if some of tbe larger species of the former, such as P. paradoxus, be compared with members of the H. alleni group of Heteromys. |
