Exploration of the Colorado River of the West and Its Tributaries Explored in 1869, 1870, 1871, and 1872, Under the Direction of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.

Page 258, Exploration of the Colorado River

258 EXPLORATION OF THE CANONS OF THE COLORADO. described, in 1839, by Dr. Bachman, from Richardson's MSS., upon specimens in the Philadelphia Academy, said to be from the "Columbia River." These two names may be treated together, as they are unquestionably the same. These specimens, apparently, were figured by Audubon; the plate is too highly colored, the richness of the tint there represented being only matched in strong cases ofumbrinus; but exactly the same wrong tawny coloration is on the same author's plate of "douglasii/' and need not stand in the least in the way of the identification which I make. The same original specimens were taken by Dr. LeConte as the basis of his Geomys rufescens, and were examined by Professor Baird, who failed to see any decided difference from "douglasi." I have not taken occasion to handle these specimens myself; but Dr. Bachman's original description gives nothing incompatible with the characters of the present species, and the balance of his account inclines here. From the locality, it is most likely that these specimens are more or less intermediate between pure talpoides and "douglasi." It becomes, in fact, a matter of indifference whether we allocate the quotations of ^borealis" here or under the next head. Respecting the T. rufescens of Maximilian, I have nothing to add to what has been already said. "Geomys unisulcatus" of Gray, apparently only a museum-name, is here assigned by the author himself. The specimens collected by the United States Geological Survey of the Territories, catalogued by Mr Merriam as "fulvus," belong here, as I ascertain by inspection. THOMOMYS TALPOIDES BULBIVORUS, (Rich.) Coues. Diplostoma^ bulbivorum, RICH., F. B. A. i, 1829, 206, pi. 18 B (lettered douglasii by mistake).-RICH., Zool. Voy. Blossom, 1839, pp. 9 and 13.* Ascomys bulbivoruSj WAGN., Suppl. Schreb. iiij 1843, 387. (Compiled.) Geomys bulbivorus, DEKAY, N. Y. Fn. 1842, 92. (Compiled from Richardson.)-SCHINZ, Syn. Mamm. fi, 1845, 135. (Compiled; quotes D. "bulbiferum"; gives wrong locality).-LECONTE, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1852, 162. (Compiled from Ricliardson.) Pseudosloma bulbivorum, AUD. & BACH., Q. N. A. iii, 1854, 337. (Compiled from Richardson.) Geomys (Thjmomys) bulbivorus, GIEB., Saug. 1855, 530. (Compiled from Richardson ) Thomomys bulbivoruSj BAIRD, M. N. A. 1857, 389, pi. 50, f. 3 a-g, and pi. 52, f. 1 a-g. (Identifies the common Californian animal with this species of Richardson's, and minutely describes it.)- BAIRD, P. R. R. Rep. x, 1859, Williamson's Route, Mamm. 82. (Tejoii, Cal.)-KENNERLY, P. R. R. Rep. x, 1859, Whipple's Route, Mamm. 13, pi. 11. (California.)-GERR., Cat. Bones Brit. Mus. 1862, 223. (California.) Oryctomys (Saccophorus) lottce, EYD. & GERV., Mag. de Zool. vi, 1836, 23, pi. 21, f. 4 (teeth); Voy. Favorite, v, 1839, 23, pi. 8, f. 4 (same).