face of the pouch, and along the superior and inferior borders thereof, its fibres expanding so as to cover nearly the entire under surface of the sac. The fibres running along the superior border of the pouch are attached with those of the muscle passing over the upper part of the pouch to the superior maxillary bone. The remainder of the fibres are attached to the outer and lower surface of the body of the inferior maxillary bone, precisely similar to the attachment of the platysma myoides. The mus cle in this portion of its course is covered by the sac, and is in relation below with the muscles of the inferior maxillary bone and of the neck. It will thus be seen that the great muscular power possessed by the animal over its pouch is exerted from its lower or inner surface, its upper or outer surface being but poorly supplied with muscular fibres.

THOMOMYS TALPOIDES, (Rich.) Baird.

This Gopher is not abundant in this region. It shares many of the habits of its relative, G. bursarius, and is found occupying the same ground and apparently living in the midst of that species.

This Gopher breeds during the latter part of July and early in August, and I believe there is but one litter annually.

The beautiful little Chipmunk is quite common in this vicinity, and makes his appearance about the first of April, thus being one of the earliest of our mammals to welcome the return of spring.

The Chipmunk disappears by the end of April, and I have been unable to learn anything of its breeding.

A large number of specimens have been captured, but I was unfortunately unable to preserve them at the time.

The measurements of the specimens preserved are as follows:

SPERMOPHILUS FRANKLINI, (Sab.) Rich.

The Gray Gopher is quite common in this vicinity. It is not, however, an exclusively Ground Squirrel, being often seen on trees, and here its hole is usually found in a dead tree, but sometimes is dug at the foot of a tree. I believe it lays in a store of provisions sufficient for its winter use, and scarcely ever emerges from its home during this season, for careful search has failed to reveal its presence during winter.

It breeds about June 25th, and I believe but one litter is brought forth each year. The female suckles her young for five or six weeks. Professor Baird, in his work on North American Mammals, pp. 306 and 315, is in error in stating that the "head is pure gray, without any tinge of yellowish". Such is undoubtedly the case with the young; but in mature specimens there is not only a tinge of yellowish, but this coloration is quite distinct, and occurs sufficiently often to consider it a normal marking of this mammal. I have observed the yellowish coloration extend as far on the head as the eyes, and also on the upper part of the tail for about one-fourth of its length.

The cheek pouches of S. franklini open internally, directly into the mouth, and are quite small, having a capacity of about one-third of a teaspoonful only.

The pouches themselves have no true muscular structure, being simply a pocket-shaped duplicature of the skin of the sides of the head, and possessing no more elastic power than this tissue ordinarily does.

The pouches do not extend quite to the ears, and we observe nothing like the muscular structure of the pouches of Geomys and Thomomys, which possess a true constrictor and a contractor muscle, but there is deflected from the posterior portion of the sac a special tendon, broad (comparatively speaking), which replaces the muscle found in the species of Geomys and Thomomys, but which soon becomes part of, and is lost in, the superficial fascia of the sides of the neck.

SPERMOPHILUS TRIDECEM-LINEATUS, (Mitch.) Aud. & Bach.

The Striped Prairie Squirrel is very common on the Coteau; their holes may be seen almost everywhere and in large numbers. This Squirrel makes its appearance very early in the spring, as soon as the ground is thawed sufficiently, and is seen daily until the approach of winter drives it to its underground home. This Squirrel is a very polite animal, always, before retiring to its home when disturbed, stopping at its hole, standing on its hind legs for a moment, bowing, and then disappearing. The young are brought forth during the latter part of May and early in June, and I believe there is but one litter annually, usually containing from four to eight.

The following are the measurements of the specimens preserved:

The Porcupine was a few years ago found on the Coteau, in the vicinity

of this post, in small numbers. None have been seen of late years, however, and I believe it is not an inhabitant of this section of the country.

LEPUS CAMPESTRIS, Bach.

LEPORIDE.

The Prairie Hare is found here in small numbers only.

LEPUS SYLVATICUS, Bach.

The Gray Rabbit is not common on the Coteau des Prairies.

NOTE.-All measurements have been carefully taken in the flesh, and are expressed in inches and hundredths.

The name of the post at which these collections have been made was changed from Fort Wadsworth to Fort Sisseton in August, 1876.

ART. IX.-STUDIES OF THE AMERICAN HERODIONES.

PART I-SYNOPSIS OF THE AMERICAN GENERA OF ARDEIDE AND CICONIIDE; INCLUDING DESCRIPTIONS OF THREE NEW GENERA, AND A MONOGRAPH OF THE AMERICAN SPECIES OF THE GENUS ARDEA, LINN.

BY ROBERT RIDGWAY.

ORDER HERODIONES.-ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES.

<Herodiones, BONAP. Consp. ii. 1855, 97 (includes Gruida, Psophiida, Cariamidæ (“Sariamida"), Aramida, "Ciconida", Ardeida, Cancromida, Scopida, Eurypygidæ, Phoenicopterida, Plataleidæ, and “ Tantalidœ”).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 651 (includes Gruidæ, Aramidæ, Ardeida," Tantalida", Plataleida, and Phonicopterida).-SCL. & SALV. Nom. Neotr. 1873, vii. (includes Ardeidæ, Ciconiidæ, Plataleida, and Phænicopterida).

= Herodiones (suborder, < Grallatores), COUES, Key, 1872, 240, 262.-BOUCARD, Catalogus Avium, 1876, 48 (order: includes "Tantalidæ", Dromadida, Ardeidœ,“ Ciconiida", and Plataleida).

= Ciconia, BONAP. Consp. ii. 1855, 104.

> Erodii, NITZSCH, t. c. 127 (includes Ardea and other Ardeidæ, Cancroma, and Eurypyga). > Pelargi, NITZSCH, Рterylog. 1840, 130 (includes Scopus, Ciconia, Anastomus, and Tantalus).-SUNDEV. Met. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent. 1872, 123.

Herodii, SUNDEV. t. c. 122.

<Grallatores longirostres, REICHENB. Handb. 1851, xi. xiii. (includes Ibididæ and Tantalina).

>Grallatores magnirostres, REICHENB. t. c. xi. v. (includes Ardeida, Ciconiida, and Plataleida).

<Grallæ, LILLJEBORG, P. Z. S. 1866, 10, 15 (includes Phænicopterida, Rallidæ, Palamedeida, Psophida, Ardeida," Ciconida", Gruidæ, " Totanida", Scolopacida, Charadridæ, and Otidida !).-GRAY, Handlist, iii. 1871, v. 7 (includes Otidiæ, Charadriadæ, Glareolidæ, Thinocorida, Chionididæ Hæmatopodidæ, Psophida, Cariamidæ, Gruida, Eurypygidæ, Rhynochetidæ, Ardeida, Ciconiida, Plataleidæ, "Tantalida", Dromadida, Scolopacida, Phalaropodidæ, Rallidæ,“ Gallinulidæ”, Heliornithidæ, Parrida, and Palamedeida!).

= Pelargomorpha, HUXLEY, P. Z. S. 1867, 461.

(1) Grallatores altinares, SUNDEV. Meth. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent. 1872, 121 (includes "Herodii" and "Pelargi "; under the latter [as "Fam. 4"] Scopinæ, including Balæniceps!).

CH-Altricial Grallatores, with the hallux lengthened, and nearly or quite incumbent; in habits more or less arboreal (generally nesting on trees, while all are "Perchers"). Palate desmognathous. Carotids double.

The above brief diagnosis is sufficient to succinctly characterize this