Z/7 * THE ZOOLOGY [Price of THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. BEAGLE, UNDER THE COMMAND OF CAPTAIN FITZROY, DURING THE YEARS 1832 to 1836. PUBLISHED WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS OF HER MAJESTY’S TREASURY. iEtJitrtJ anti J^uperintctrtfeK iij) CHARLES DARWIN, ESQ. M.A. F.G.S. CORRESPONDING MEMBER OE THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, AND NATURALIST TO THE EXPEDITION. MAMMALIA, BY GEORGE R. WATERHOUSE, ESQ. CURATOR OP THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, ETC. ETC. LONDON : SMITH, ELDER AND CO., 65, CORNHILL. MDCCCXXXVIII. STEWART AND MURRAY,, OLD BAILEY* . | Waterhouse, George R. The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, under the command of Captain Fitzroy, R.N., during the years 1838 to 1836, Part 2, Mammalia. No. 1 = Part 2, Mammalia, pis. 10 [1-10], pages 16 [1-16] - February , 1838 No. 2 = Part 4, Mammalia, pis. 8 [11-17 + 35], pages 24 [17-32]- September, 1838 No. 3 = Part 5, Mammalia, pis. 8 [18-24 + 33], pages 16 [33-48]- November, 1838 No. 4 = Part 10, Mammalia, pis .9 [25-32 * 54], pages 60 [49-100] -September, 1839 (For dates of publication see C. Davies Sherborn, 1897,Ann.& Mag .Nat .Hist., ser.6, vol.20, no. 119, p.483. November, 1897 . ) t % J MAMMALIA BescrtM by GEORGE R. WATERHOUSE, ESQ. CURATOR OP THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, ETC. ETC. WITH A NOTICE OF THEIR HABITS AND RANGES, BY CHARLES DARWIN, ESQ., M.A., F.R.S. SECRETARY TO THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. ILLUSTRATED BY NUMEROUS COLOURED ENGRAVINGS. THE { ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF H. M. S. BEAGLE, UNDER THE COMMAND OF CAPTAIN FITZROY, R.N., DURING THE YEARS 1832 to 1836. PUBLISHED WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS OF HER MAJESTY'S TREASURY. Hitittcti anti 5?upevintcnticti bp CHARLES DARWIN, ESQ. M.A. F.R.S. Sec. G.S. on NATURALIST TO THE EXPEDITION. PART II. MAMMALIA, BY GEORGE R. WATERHOUSE, ESQ. 1 CURATOR OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, ETC. ETC. LONDON: SMITH, ELDER AND CO. 65, CORN HILL MDCCCXXXIX. a QL tssx pt" 2- sc/j^ne LIST OF PLATES. Plate I. Desmodus D’Orbignyi. II. Phyllostoma Grayi. Plate XXX. XXXI. Didelphis crassicaudata. elegans. III. Yespertilio Cliiloensis. XXXII. brachiura. IV. Canis antarcticus. Y. Magellanicus. XXXIII. Skulls, and molar teeth of various species of Rodents. YI. fulvipes. YII. — — - Azarae. Fig. 1. a. Skull of Abrocoma Cuvieri — natu- ral size. VIII. Felis Yagouroundi. — ]. b. Side view of ditto. IX. Pajeros. — 1. c. Ramus of lower jaw — outer side. X. Delphinus Fitz-Royi. — 1. d. Lower jaw seen from above. ■jq j Mus longicaudatus. ( gracilipes. — 1. e. Molar teeth of the upper jaw mag- nified. * | CD CTO p — 1. /• ditto of lower jaw. t bimaculatus. — 2. a. Skull of Reithrodon cuniculoides. XIII $ flavescens. — 2. b. Incisors of the upper jaw magnified. 1 arenicola. ( Magellanicus. i brachiotis. — 2. c. Molar teeth of the upper jaw mag- nified. — 2. d. ditto of the lower jaw. XV. J Renggeri. i obscurus. 2. e. ditto of upper jaw of a younger specimen. XYI. longipilis. — 3. a. Portion of a skull of MusBraziliensis T^yjj { xanthorhinus. 3. b. ditto, view of palate. 1 nasutus. XVIII. tumidus. 3. c. Molar teeth of the upper jaw mag- nified. ' XIX. Braziliensis. — 3. d. ' ditto of lower jaw. XX. micropus. XXI. griseo-flavus. — 4. a. Molar teeth of lower jaw of Reith- rodon typicus magnified. XXII, • — - xantbopygus. XXIII. Darwinii. — 5. a. Molar teeth of the upper jaw of Mus canescens. XXIY. Galapagoensis. — 5. b. ditto of under jaw. XXY. fuscipes. — 5. c. Skull of ditto. XXVI. Reithrodon cuniculo’ides. XXVII. chinchillo'ides. — 5. d. Posterior molar of the lower jaw more worn than in 5. b. XXVIII. Abrocoma Bennettii. XXIX. Cuvieri. — 6. a. < Molar teeth of the lower jaw of Mus longipilis . b LIST OF PLATES. Fig.' 6. b. Molar teeth of the upper jaw. Fig. 12. a. Ramus of lower jaw of Mus Bra- — 7. a. Skull of Mus nasutus. ziliensis. — 7. 1. Molar teeth of upper jaw. — 13. a. Molar teeth of upper jaw of Mus — 7. c. ditto of lower jaw. micropus. — 8. a. Skull of Mus Galapagoensis. — 13. b. ditto of lower jaw. — 8. b. Molar teeth of upper jaw. — 14. a. Ramus of lower jaw of Mus Gala- — 8. c. ditto of lower jaw. pagoensis. XXXIV. Skulls and molar teeth of various species — 15. a. Molar teeth of upper jaw of Mus of Rodents, &c. griseo-flavus. Fig. 1. a. Skull of Mus longicaudatus — natu- — 15. b. ditto of lower. ral size. — 16. a. Molar teeth of upper jaw of Mus — 1. b. Molar teeth of upper jaw of ditto. xanthopygus . — 1. c. ditto of lower jaw. — 16. b. ditto of lower jaw. — 1. d. Ramus of lower jaw — natural size. — 17- a. Molar teeth of upper jaw of Mus — 2. a. Skull of Mus elegans — natural size. Darwinii. — 2. b. Molar teeth of upper jaw. — 17. b. ditto of lower. — 2. c. ditto of lower jaw. — 18. a. Molar teeth of upper jaw of Mus — 3. a. Skull of Mus bimaculatus — nat. size Gouldii. — 3. b. Molar teeth of upper jaw. — 18. b. ditto of lower. — 3. c. ditto of lower jaw. 19. a. Molar teeth of upper jaw of Mus — 3. d. Ramus of lower jaw — natural size. insularis. — 4. a. Skull of Mus gracilipes. — 19. b. ditto of lower jaw. — 4. b. Molar teeth of upper jaw. — 19. c. Portion of ramus of lower jaw. — 4. c. ditto of lower jaw. — 20. a. .Skull of Reithrodon chinchilloides — 4. d. View of the under side of the tarsus — natural size. — 5. a. First and second molar teeth of — 20. b. ditto, viewed from beneath. upper jaw of Mus Jlavescens. — 20. c. ditto, side view. — 5. b. Two posterior molar teeth of the — 20. d. Ramus of lower jaw — natural size. lower jaw of ditto. — 20. e. Molar teeth of upper jaw. — 6. a. Molar teeth of the upper jaw of — 20. /• ditto of lower. Mus Magellanicus . — 21. a. Skull of Reithrodon cuniculoides , — 6. b. ditto of lower jaw. viewed from beneath. — 7. a. Skull of Mus arenicola. — 21. b. ditto, side view of fore part. — 7. b. Molar teeth of upper jaw. — 21. c. Ramus of lower pair. -r- 7. c. ditto of lower jaw. _ 22. a. Hinder part of ramus of lower jaw — 7. d. Ramus of lower jaw. of Abrocoma Bennettii. — 8. a. Molar teeth of upper jaw of Mus — 23. a. Skull of Abrocoma Cuvieri , viewed brachiotis. from beneath. — 8. b. Two posterior molars of lower jaw. — 23. b. Lower jaw of ditto, viewed from — 9. a. Molar teeth of upper jaw of Mus beneath. obscurus. — 23. c. Ramus of lower jaw, inner side. — 9. b. ditto of lower jaw. — 24. a. Ramus of lower jaw of Octodon — 10. a. Ramus of lower jaw of Mus nasutus. Cumingii , inner side. — 11. a. Molar teeth of lower jaw of Mus — 25. a. Skull of Didelphis crassicaudata. tumidus. — 25. b. ditto, viewed from beneath. LIST OF PLATES. ix Plate XXXIV, ( continued .) Plate XXXV, { continued .) Fig. 25. c Side view of fore part of skull. Fig. 3. a. Skull of Vespertilio Chiloensis. — 25. d. Ramus of lower jaw, outer side. — 3. b. Side view of ditto. XXXV. Skulls of various animals. — 3. c. Front view of upper and lower Fig. 1 . a. Skull of Desmodus D’Orbignyi . incisors magnified. — 1. b. ditto, viewed from beneath. — 4. a. Skull of Lutra Platensis. — 1. c. ditto, side view. — 4. b. Under view of ditto. — 1. d. Front view of the incisors, and — 4. c. Side view of fore part of ditto. canines of upper jaw magnified. — 4. d. Upper view of lower jaw of ditto. — 1. e. Side view of do. and the molar teeth. — 5. a. Skull of Didelphis elegans. — 1. f Front view of incisors and canines — 5. b. Under view of ditto.* of lower jaw, magnified. — 5. c. Side view ditto. — 1. 9- Side view of ditto, and molar teeth. — 5. d. Ramus of lower jaw, outer side. — 2. a. Skull of Phyllostoma Grayi. — 5. e. The same, viewed from above, and — 2. b. Side view of ditto. magnified. — 2. c. 1 Front view of incisors of upper and — 2. d. / lower jaws magnified. The palatine foramina are accidentally omitted — see description. MAMMALIA, Qs^mbfts bp GEORGE R. WATERHOUSE, ESQ, CURATOR OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, ETC. ETC. « WITH A NOTICE OF THEIR HABITS AND RANGES, BY CHARLES DARWIN, ESQ. M.A. F.G.S. &c. CORRESPONDING MEMBER THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. GEOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION. BY MR. DARWIN. The object of the present Introduction, is briefly to describe the principal loca- lities, from which the Zoological specimens, collected during the voyage of the Beagle, were obtained. At the conclusion of this work, after each species has been separately examined and described, it will be more advantageous to incor- porate any general remarks. The Beagle was employed for nearly five years out of England ; of this time a very large proportion was spent in surveying the coasts of the Southern part of South America, and of the remainder, much was consumed in making long passages during her circumnavigation of the globe. Hence nearly the entire collection, especially of the animals belonging to the higher orders, was procured from this continent ; to which, however, must be added the Galapagos Archipelago, a group of islands in the Pacific, but not far distant from the American coast. The localities may be briefly described under the following heads. Brazil. This country presents an enormous area, supporting the most luxuriant productions of the intertropical regions. It is composed of primary formations, and may be considered as being hilly rather than mountainous. La Plata includes the several provinces bordering that great river ; — namely, Buenos Ayres, Banda Oriental, Santa F6, Entre Rios, &c. My collections were chiefly made at Buenos Ayres, at Monte Video, the capital of Banda Oriental, and at Maldonado, a town in the same province, situated on the northern a II ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. shore, near the mouth of the estuary of the Plata. These countries consist either of an undulating surface, clothed with turf, or of perfectly level plains with enormous beds of thistles. Except on the banks of the rivers, trees nowhere grow ; there are, however, thickets in some of the valleys, in the more hilly parts of Banda Oriental. During the winter and spring of this hemisphere, a considerable quantity of rain falls, and the plains of turf are then everywhere verdant ; but in summer the country assumes a brown and parched appearance. Bahia Blanca forms a large bay, in latitude 39° S. on a part of the coast, which falls within the territory of the province of Buenos Ayres, but which from its physical conditions would more properly be classed with Patagonia. The ter- tiary plains of Patagonia, extend from the Strait of Magellan to the Rio Negro, which is commonly assumed as their Northern boundary. This space of more than seven hundred miles in length, and in breadth reaching from the Cordillera to the Atlantic Ocean, is everywhere characterised by the dreary uniformity of its landscape. Nearly desert plains, composed of a thick bed of shingle, and often strewed over with sea-shells, (plainly indicating that the land has been covered within a recent period by the sea,) are but rarely interrupted by hills of porphyry, and other crystalline rocks. The plains support scattered tufts of wiry grass, and stunted bushes ; whilst in the broad flat-bottomed valleys, dwarf thorn-bearing trees, barely ornamented with the scantiest foliage, sometimes unite into thickets ; and here the few feathered inhabitants of these sterile regions resort. There is an extreme scarcity of water ; and where it is found, especially if in lakes, it is generally as salt as brine. The sky in summer is cloudless, and the heat in consequence, considerable; whereas the frosts of winter are, sometimes, severe. The principal localities visited by the Beagle, were the Rio Negro, in latitude 41° S., Port Desire, Port St. Julian, and Santa Cruz. At the latter place, a party, under the command of Captain FitzRoy, followed up the river in boats, to within a few miles of the Cordillera ; and an opportunity was thus afforded of verifying the nature of the country in its entire breadth. At the Rio Negro the plains are much more thickly covered with bushes, (chiefly acacias,) than in any other part of Patagonia. Tierra del Fuego may be supposed to include all the broken land south of a line joining the opposite mouths of the Strait of Magellan. The land is moun- GEOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION. ill tainous, and may be aptly compared to a lofty chain, partly submerged in the sea ; — bays and channels occupying the position of valleys. The Eastern side almost exclusively consists of clay-slate ; the Western, of primary, and various plutonic formations. The mountains, from the water’s edge, to within a short dis- tance of the lower limit of perpetual snow, are everywhere (excepting on the ex- posed western shores) concealed by an impervious forest, the trees of which do not periodically shed their leaves. On the East coast, the outline of the land shows that tertiary formations, like those of Patagonia, extend south of the Strait of Magellan ; but with the exception of this part, it is rare to find even a small space of level ground ; and where such occurs, a thick bed of peat in- variably covers the surface. The climate is of that kind which has been deno- minated insular : the winters are far from being excessively cold, whilst the summers are gloomy, boisterous, and seldom cheered by the rays of the sun. In all seasons, a large quantity of rain falls. Hence, from the physical conditions of Tierra del Fuego, all the land animals must live either on the sea beach, (and in this class the Aborigines may be included) or within the humid and entangled forests. The Falkland Islands are situated in the same latitude as the Eastern entrance of the Strait of Magellan, and about 270 miles East of it. The climate is nearly the same as in Tierra del Fuego, but the surface of the land, instead of being as there, concealed by one great forest, does not support a single tree. We see on every side a withered and coarse herbage, with a few low bushes, which spring from the peaty soil of an undulating moorland. Scattered hills, and a central range of quartz rock, protrude through formations of clay-slate and sand-stone (belonging to the Silurian epoch,) which compose the lower country. The structure of the west coast of South America, from the Strait of Ma- gellan northward to latitude 38°, in its greater part, (as far north as Chiloe) is very similar to that of Tierra del Fuego. The climate likewise is similar, — being gloomy, boisterous, and extremely humid ; and, consequently, the land is con- cealed by an almost impenetrable forest. In the northern part of this region, the temperature of course is considerably higher than near the Strait of Magellan ; but nevertheless it is much less so, than might have been anticipated from so IV ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. great a change in latitude. Hence, although the vegetation of this northern district presents a marked difference when compared with that of the southern ; yet the zoology in many respects has, like the general aspect of the landscape, a very uniform character. The specimens were chiefly collected from the Penin- sula of Tres Montes, the Chonos Archipelago (from latitude 46° to 43° 30'), Chiloe with the adjoining islets, and Valdivia. The contrast between the physical conditions and productions of the East and West coasts of this part of South America is very remarkable. On one side of the Cordillera, great heavy clouds are driven along by the western gales in unbroken sheets, and the indented land is clothed with thick forests ; whilst on the other side of this great range, a bright sky, with a clear and dry atmosphere, extends over wide and desolate plains. Chile in the neighbourhood of Concepcion (latitude 36° 42' S.) may be called a fertile land ; for it is diversified with fine woods, pasturage, and cultivated fields. But towards the more central districts (near Valparaiso and Santiago) although by the aid of irrigation, the soil in the valleys yields a most abundant return, yet the appearance of the hills, thinly scattered with various kinds of bushes and cylindrical Opuntias, bespeaks an arid climate. In winter, rain is copious, but during a long summer of from six to eight months, a shower never moistens the parched soil. The country has a very alpine character, and is traversed by several chains of mountains extending parallel to the Andes. These ranges include between them level basins, which appear once to have formed the beds of ancient channels and bays, such as those now intersecting the land further to the south. North of the neighbourhood of Valparaiso, the climate rapidly becomes more and more arid, and the land in proportion desert. Beyond the valley of Coquimbo (latitude 30°.) it is scarcely habitable, excepting in the valleys of Guasco, Copiapo, and Paposa, which owe their entire fertility to the system of irrigation, invented by the aboriginal Indians and followed by the Spanish colonists. Northward of these places, the absolute desert of Atacama forms a complete barrier, and eastward, the snow-clad chain of the Cordillera separates the Zoological province of Chile, from that of the wide plains which extend on the other side of the Andes. The last district which it is at all necessary for me to mention here, is that GEOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION. v of the Galapagos Archipelago, situated under the Equator, and between five and six hundred miles West of the coast of America. These islands are entirely volcanic in their composition ; and on two of them the volcanic forces have within late years been seen in activity. There are five principal islands, and several smaller ones : they cover a space of 2° 10' in latitude, and 2° 35' in longitude. The climate, for an equatorial region, is far from being excessively hot : it is extremely dry ; and although the sky is often clouded, rain seldom falls, excepting during one short season, and then its quantity is variable. Hence, in the lower part of these islands, even the more ancient streams of lava (the recent ones still remaining naked and glossy) are clothed only with thin and nearly leafless bushes. At an elevation of 1200 feet, and upwards, the land receives the moisture condensed from the clouds, which are drifted by the trade wind over this part of the ocean at an inconsiderable height. In consequence of this, the upper and central part of each island supports a green and thriving vegetation ; but from some cause, not very easily explained, it is much less frequented, than the lower and rocky districts are, by the feathered inhabitants of this archipelago. By a reference to the localities here described, it is hoped that the reader will obtain some general idea of the nature of the different countries inhabited by the several animals, which will be described in the following sheets. The vertebrate animals in my collection have been presented to the following museums: — the Mammalia and Birds to the Zoological Society; the Fishes to the Cambridge Philosophical Society ; and the Reptiles, when described, will be deposited in the British Museum. For the care and preservation of all these and other specimens, during the long interval of time between their arrival in this country and my return, I am deeply indebted to the kindness of the Rev. Pro- fessor Henslow of Cambridge. With respect to the gentlemen, who have under- taken the several departments of this publication, I hope they will permit me here to express the great personal obligation which I feel towards them, and likewise my admiration at the disinterested zeal which has induced them thus to bestow their time and talents for the good of Science. MAMMALIA. Family — PHYLLOSTOMIDiE. Desmodus D’Orbignyi. Plate I. Natural size. Skull, teeth, &c. PI. XXXV., figs. 1. />. pills nitidis adpressis ; corpore supra fusco, pilis ad basin albis ; gula abdomineque cinerescenti-albis ; nasiis prosthemate parvulo bijido. Description. — The fur of this Bat is glossy and has a silk-like appearance ; that on the top of the head, sides of the face, and the whole of the upper parts of the body, is of a deep brown colour ; all the hairs on these parts, however, are white at the base. The flanks, interfemoral membrane, and the arms, are also covered on their upper side with brown hairs. On the lower part of the sides of the face, and the whole of the under parts of the body, the hairs are of an ashy-white colour. The membrane of the wing is brownish. The ears are of moderate size, and somewhat pointed ; externally they are covered with minute brown hairs, and internally with white. The tragus is also covered with white hairs ; it is of a narrow form, pointed at the tip, and has a small acute process in the middle of the outer margin. The nose- leaf is pierced by the nostrils, which diverge posteriorly, and is so deeply cleft on its hinder margin, that it may be compared to two small leaflets joined side by side near their bases. These leaflets, unlike the nose-leaf of the Phyllostomina, lie horizontally on the nose to which they are attached throughout, a slight ridge only indicating their margin. Around the pos- terior part of the nose-leaf there is a considerable naked space, in which two small hollows are observable, situated one on each side, and close to the B ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. nose-leaf ; and, at a short distance behind the nose-leaf, this naked mem- brane is slightly elevated, and forms a transverse fleshy tubercle. Length of head and body In. . 3 Lines. 3 Length of tarsus (claw included) In. . 0 Lines. 8 5. interfemoral membrane . . 0 H ear .... . 0 4 the antibrachium . 2 2 tragus . . 0 3 thumb (claw included) . 0 8 nose-leaf . 0 H tibia .... . 0 10 Expanse of the wings . 12 8 Habitat, Coquimbo, Chile. {May.) “ The Vampire Bat,” says Mr. Darwin in his MS. notes upon the present species, “ is often the cause of much trouble, by biting the horses on their withers. The injury is generally not so much owing to the loss of blood, as to the inflammation which the pressure of the saddle afterwards produces. The whole circumstance has lately been doubted in England ; I was therefore for- tunate in being present when one was actually caught on a horse’s back. We were bivouacking late one evening near Coquimbo, in Chile, when my servant, noticing that one of the horses was very restive, went to see what was the matter, and fancying he could distinguish something, suddenly put his hand on the beast’s withers, and secured the Vampire. In the morning, the spot where the bite had been inflicted was easily distinguished from being slightly swollen and bloody. The third day afterwards we rode the horse, without any ill effects. Before the introduction of the domesticated quadrupeds, this Vampire Bat probably preyed on the guanaco, or vicugna, for these, together with the puma, and man, were the only terrestrial mammalia of large size, which formerly inhabited the northern part of Chile. This species must be unknown, or very uncommon in Central Chile, since Molina, who lived in that part, says (Compendio de la His- toria del Reyno de Chile, vol. i. p. 301,) “ that no blood-sucking species is found in this province.” It is interesting to find that the structure of this animal is in perfect accord- ance with the habits as above detailed by Mr. Darwin. Among other points, the total absence of true molars, and consequent want of the power of masticating food, is the most remarkable. On the other hand we find the canines and inci- sors perfectly fitted for inflicting a wound such as described, while the small size of the interfemoral membrane (giving freedom to the motions of the legs,) together with the unusually large size of the thumb and claw, would enable this Bat, as I should imagine, to fix itself with great security to the body of the horse. I have named this species after M. d’Orbigny, who has added so much to Jj&'rmodm- D Vrfognyz,. . Itfammaha.TL 2.. MAMMALIA. 3 our information on the zoological productions of South America. The Edo- stoma cinerea * of that author has evidently a close affinity to the animal here described, and differs chiefly (judging from the drawing published in his work) in the larger size of the ears, in having the nose-leaf free, and the surrounding membrane free and elevated. As M. d’Orbigny has not yet published the character of his genus Edostoma, his figure is my only guide, and in this figure I find the dentition agreeing both with that of the present species, and that of the genus Desmodus of Prince Maximilian, — as would appear from the published descriptions, and figure given by M. de Blainvillet- — The points of distinction between M. d’Orbigny’s animal and the species here described, are not, in my opinion, of sufficient importance to constitute generic characters, I have, therefore, retained the name of Desmodus. It is desireable perhaps to separate the Blood-sucking Bats from the In- sectivorous species, and place them between the latter group and the Pteropina, (with which they agree in the large size of the thumb and the rudimentary interfemoral membrane,) under a sectional name, which I propose to call llmna- tophilini. 1. Phyllostoma Gray i. Plate II. P . fusco-cinereum ; nasiis prosthemate lanceolato ; auribus mediocribus, trago basin versus extus unidentato ; cauda gracillima, brevi, et membrana interfemorali inclusa ; verruca complanata ad apicem menti, verrucis parvulis circumdata. Description. — This Phyllostoma agrees with the species described by Mr. J. Gray;}; under the name of Childreni, in having on the lower lip “ an half ovate group of crowded warts,” but is of a much smaller size, and differs also in colour. The number of teeth are as follows : — incisors f; canines f; molars jE§=32. The intermediate pair of incisors of the upper jaw are large, compressed, and have their apices rounded; the lateral pair are so minute, that they are scarcely visible without the assistance of a lens: the four incisors of the * Yoy. Amer. Merid. t. 8. t See his memoir “ Sur quelques anomalies du syst^me dentaire dans les mammif&res,” published in the “ Annales Franqaises et Etrangeres d’Anatomie et de Physiologie,” No. 6, pi. IX. fig. 2. + Magazine of Zoology and Botany, No. 12. ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. lower jaw, are somewhat crowded, the intermediate pair are slightly larger than the lateral ; they are all deeply notched, and broad at the apex. The cerebral portion of the skull is much arched and the anterior portion is de- pressed. The zygomatic arch is imperfect ; see PI. 35. figs. 2. The nose- leaf is lanceolate, and of moderate size : the ears are also of moderate size ; they are rounded at the tip and emarginated on their exterior edge : the tragus is elongated, and suddenly attenuated towards the apex ; the outer margin is deeply notched towards the base, and very obscurely crenulated above this notch. The interfemoral membrane is of moderate extent, and emarginated posteriorly. The tail, which is very slender, is entirely enclosed by the interfemoral membrane, and the visible portion appears to consist of but two joints, which together, measure about two and a half lines in length. The basal half of the thumb is enclosed in membrane. The fur is soft and rather long. The general tint of the upper and under parts of the body is brownish-ash ; the hairs on the neck and on the whole of the back are grey at the base, then white, or nearly so, brownish-ash near the tip, and whitish at the tip. On the belly the hairs are nearly of an uniform brown-ash colour, their apices only being whitish. The ears, nose-leaf, and membrane of the wings, are of a sooty-black hue. In. Lines. In. Lines. Length of head and body . 2 0 Length of ear . 0 7 antibrachium . . 1 nose-leaf . 0 3£ thumb (claw included) . . 0 H Expanse of the wings . : . 10 0 tibia .... . 0 7 Habitat, Pernambuco, Brazil. (. August .) “ This species appeared to be common at Pernambuco (five degrees north of Bahia). Upon entering an old lime-kiln in the middle of the day, I disturbed a considerable number of them : they did not seem to be much incommoded by the light, and their habitation was much less dark than that usually frequented as a sleeping place by these animals.” D. I have named this species after Mr. John Gray, the author of several exten- sive memoirs on the order to which it belongs, and to whom I am indebted for valuable assistance whilst comparing this and other species with those contained in the collection of the British Museum. 2. Phyllostoma perspicillatum. I find in Mr. Darwin’s collection, a bat agreeing with the description of M. ' UwmmAa.yy Jksperdili/O CjtfZo&rufi#. MAMMALIA. 5 Geoffroy Saint Hilaire,* under the above name, with the exception of a slight difference in the dimensions ; I will, therefore, add those of the present specimen, which is a female. It may be observed, that in the animal before me, the tragus of the ear is pointed, and not bifid at the apex, as represented in plate xi of the work quoted. Length of head and body antibrachium nose-leaf ear In. Lines. . 4 0 Length of tragus . 2 7 tibia . 0 5 Expansion of the wings • 0 8$ In. Lines. . 0 3 . 1 0 . 16 8 “ This bat was caught at Bahia, (latitude 13° S.) on the coast of Brazil, in consequence of its having flown into a room where there was a light. I scarcely ever saw an animal so tenacious of life.” D. Family — VESPERTILIONIDiE. Vespertilio Chiloensis. Plate III. V. fuscus : auribus mediocribus ; trago elongato , angusto, apicem versus attenuato ; f route concavo ; rostro obtuso ; caudd ad apicem extremum libera. Description. — In size and colouring, this Bat very closely resembles the Ves- pertilio Pipistrellus of Europe ; the wings, however, are considerably broader in proportion ; the antibrachium, tibia, and tail, are each of them longer ; the tragus of the ear is also longer, and narrower. The muzzle is short and obtuse, and furnished on each side with numerous hairs, which, when compared with those of other parts, are of a more harsh nature. The nose is naked at the apex. The forehead is concave. The ears are narrow, and somewhat pointed, emarginated externally, and have about four transverse rugae : the tragus is elongated, narrow, and pointed, and has the outer margin very obscurely crenulated. On the chin there is a small wart, from which spring several stiffish hairs. The tail is about equal to the body in length, and has the extreme tip free. The fur is moderately Annales des Museum d’Histoire Naturelle,” tom. xv. p. 176. 6 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. long, and of an uniform rich brown colour, and extends on to the base of the interfemoral membrane above and below ; the remainder of this membrane is bare, and, together with that of the wings, of a black colour. In. Lines. In. Lines. Length of the head and body . 1 8 Length of the tragus . 0 H the tail . 1 the antibrachium . . 1 H Expanse of the wings . . 8 3 the thumb (claw included) . 0 H Length of the ear . 0 the tibia . 0 6f Habitat, Chiloe. {January.) “ This specimen was given me by Lieut. Sulivan, who obtained it amongst the islets on the Eastern side of Chiloe. It is not, I believe, common, nor do the humid and impervious forests of that island appear a congenial habitation for members of this family. It must, however, be observed, that even in Tierra del Fuego, where the climate is still less hospitable, and where the number of insects is surprisingly small, I saw one of these animals on the wing.” D. Family — NOCTILIONIDiE. Dysopes nasutus. Molossus nasutus Spix, Simiarum et Vespertilionum. Braziliensium species novae. Nyctinomus Brazi- liensis. — Geoffrey, Annales des Sciences Naturelles, tom. i. p. 337. pi. 22. Of this species I find three specimens in Mr. Darwin’s collection — “ It is re- markable,” says Mr. Darwin, “ for its wide geographical range. I obtained specimens at Maldonado, on the northern bank of the Plata, where it was ex- ceedingly numerous in the attics of old houses, and likewise at Valparaiso in Chile. Molina (vol. i. p. 301.) says another species is found in Chile, of the same size and figure, but of a more orange {naranjado) colour.” Upon comparing the dimensions of several specimens of this species with those given by Temminck in his “ Monographic sur le Genre Molosse,” I find that they vary very considerably ; I shall therefore be adding some little to the history of the species, by giving the dimensions of those now before me, together with the sexes of the specimens measured, and their localities. In all these specimens there is a series of pointed tubercles along the upper margin of the ears, a character which M. Temminck has omitted to notice. They vary slightly MAMMALIA. 7 in the intensity of their colouring, but among those brought from Chile 1 do not perceive any agreeing with that species, or variety, mentioned by Molina as approaching to an orange colour. All the specimens whose dimensions are here given, are preserved in spirit. Two of them are from Maldonado brought by Mr. Darwin; three were collected in Hayti by Mr. J. Hearne, and one is from Chile, whence it was brought by Mr. H. Cuming. From Chile. Hayti. Hayti. Hayti. Maldonado. Maldonado. In. 2 Lines. 9 In. Lines. $ In. Lines. In. $ Lines. In. 9 Lines. In. 9 Lines. Length of head and body . . 2 3 1 11 2 0 2 2 6 2 6 of tail . 1 1 2 1 2 1 H 1 1 1 2 of free portion of ditto . 0 0 5 0 0 5h 0 8f 0 Expanse of wings . . 10 3 9 3 9 8 9 0 10 6 10 2 Length of antibrachium . 1 7 1 6 1 6* 1 6 1 8 1 9 of ears . 0 5 0 4£ 0 4f 0 0 H 0 Width of ditto . 0 7 0 6 0 6 0 6 0 7 0 7 Length from nose to eye . . 0 0 3 0 3§ 0 3 0 H 0 H In all the specimens examined by me, there are two incisors in the upper jaw, and four in the lower, they would therefore, according to M. Temminck, be adult. Family — CARNIVORA. 1. Canis Antarcticus. Plate IY. Antarctic Wolf, Pennant , History of Quadrupeds, vol. i. p. 257. sp. 165. Canis Antarcticus, Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. i. pt. 2. p. 331. , Desm. Mamm. p. 199. C. supra sordide fulvescenti-brunneus, pilis ad apicem nigris ; lateribus, corporeque subtiis, sordide flavescenti-fuscis ; capite , auribusque extiis, fusco nigroque adsper- sis ; artubus Jlavescenti-fulvis ; labiis, guld, abdomine imo, femoribusque intiis, sor- dide albis ; cauda ad basin concolore cum corpore, deln nigra, apice albo. Description. — This animal is considerably larger than the common fox, ( Canis Vulpes, Auct.) and stouter in its proportions, and, in fact, appears to be intermediate between the ordinary foxes and the wolves. The tail is much 8 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. smaller and less bushy than in the former animals. The contour of the head is wolf-like ; the legs, however, are shorter than in the true wolves ; and the tail is white at the apex, a character common in the foxes. The fur of the Antarctic Fox is moderately long, and the under fur is not very abundant, especially as compared with that of the C. magellanicus. This under fur is of a pale brown colour ; the apical portion of each hair is yellow- ish ; the longer hairs are black at the apex, brown at the base, and annulated with white towards the apex. In many of these hairs the subapical pale ring is wanting. On the chest and belly the hairs are of a pale dirty yellow colour, gray-white at the base, and black at the apex. On the hinder part of the belly the hairs are almost of an uniform dirty white. The space around the angle of the mouth, the upper lip, and the whole of the throat, are white. The chin is brown-white, or brownish. The basal half of the tail is of the same colour as the body, and the hairs are of the same texture ; on the apical half of the tail they are of a harsher or less woolly nature, of a black colour at the apex, and brownish at the base ; those at the extreme point are totally white. The legs are almost of an uniform fulvous colour ; the feet are of a somewhat paler hue ; the hairs on the under side of the hinder feet are brownish, and the external and posterior parts of the tibiae are suffused with the same tint. The hairs on the head are grizzled with black and fulvous ; the former of these colours is somewhat conspicuous, excepting in the region of the eyes, where the fulvous or yellowish tint prevails. The muzzle is scarcely of so dark a hue as the crown of the head. The ears are furnished internally with long white hairs, externally the hairs are yellowish, with their apices black ; the latter colour is more conspicuous towards the tip of the ear. The sides of the neck near the ear are of a rich fulvous hue. Length from nose to root of tail from tip of nose to ear of tail (hair included) In. Lines. 36 0 Length of ear 7 3 Height of body at shoulders 13 0 Habitat, Falkland Islands. In. Lines. 2 9 15 0 “Three specimens of this animal were brought to England by Capt. FitzRoy ; from one of which, the above drawing and description has been made. The earliest notice I can find of this animal is by Pernety,* during Bougainville’s voy- age, which was undertaken in 1764, for the purpose of colonizing these islands. The strange familiarity of its manner seems to have excited the fears of some of Journal Historique d’un Voyage fait aux lies Malouines, tom. ii. p. 459. Qmz*S‘ (zufa/rcfociw. MAMMALIA. 9 the seamen in Commodore Byron’s voyage (in 1765) in rather a ludicrous manner. Byron says that seals were not the only dangerous animals that they found, “ for the master having been sent out one day to sound the coast upon the south shore, reported at his return that four creatures of great fierceness, resembling wolves, ran up to their bellies in the water to attack the people in his boat, and that as they happened to have no fire-arms with them, they had immediately put the boat off in deep water.” Byron adds that, “ When any of these creatures got sight of our people, though at ever so great a distance, they ran directly at them ; and no less than five of them were killed this day. They were always called wolves by the ship’s company, but, except in their size, and the shape of the tail, I think they bore a greater resemblance to a fox. They are as big as a middle-sized mas- tiff, and their fangs are remarkably long and sharp. There are great numbers of them upon this coast, though it is not perhaps easy to guess how they first came hither ; for these islands are at least one hundred leagues distant from the main. They burrow in the ground like a fox, and we have frequently seen pieces of seals which they have mangled, and the skins of penguins lie scattered about the mouths of their holes. To get rid of these creatures, our people set fire to the grass, so that the country was in a blaze as far as the eye could reach, for several days, and we could see them running in great numbers to seek other quarters.” The habits of these animals remain nearly the same to the present day, although their numbers have been greatly decreased by the singular facility with which they are destroyed. I was assured by several of the Spanish countrymen, who are em- ployed in hunting the cattle which have run wild on these islands, that they have repeatedly killed them by means of a knife held in one hand, and a piece of meat to tempt them to approach, in the other. They range over the whole island, but perhaps are most numerous near the coast ; in the inland parts they must subsist almost exclusively on the upland geese, ( Anser leucopterus,) which, from fear of them, like the eider-ducks of Iceland, build only on the small outlying islets. These wolves do not go in packs ; they wander about by day, but more commonly in the evening ; they burrow holes; are generally very silent, excepting during the breeding season, when they utter cries, which were described to me as resembling those of the Canis Azarce. Spaniards and half-cast Indians, from several districts of the southern portions of South America, have visited these islands, and they all declare that the wolf is not found on the mainland ; the sealers likewise say it does not occur on Georgia, Sandwich Land, or the other islands in the Antarctic ocean. I entertain, therefore, no doubt, that the Canis antarcticus is peculiar to this archipelago. It is found both on East and West Falkland, as might have been inferred from the accounts given by Bougainville and Byron, who visited different islands ; — I state this particularly, because the contrary has been asserted. I was 10 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. assured by Mr. Low, an intelligent sealer, who has long frequented these islands, that the wolves of West Falkland are invariably smaller and of a redder colour than those from the Eastern island ; and this account was corroborated by the officers of the Adventure, employed in surveying the archipelago. Mr. Gray, of the British Museum, had the kindness to compare in my presence the specimens deposited there by Captain Fitzroy, but he could not detect any essential difference between them. The number of these animals during the last fifty years must have been greatly reduced ; already they are entirely banished from that half of East Falkland which lies East of the head of St. Salvador Bay and Berkeley Sound ; and it cannot, I think, be doubted, that as these islands are now becoming colonized, before the paper is decayed on which this animal has been figured, it will be ranked amongst those species which have perished from the face of the earth.” — D. 2. Canis Magellanicus. Plate V. Canis Magellanicus, Gray, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, part iv. 1836, p. 88. Vulpes Magellanica, Gray, Magazine of Natural History, New Series, 1837, vol. i. p. 578. C. suprd albo nigroque variegatus ; lateribus fulvescente fuscoque lavatis ; capite fusco-flavo et albescente adsperso ; rostro superne obscuriore ; auribus, artubusque extus jlavescenti-rufis ; corpore subtils sordid i jlavescenti-albo ; pectore fulvo lavato ; mento fuscescente ; caudd fulvescenti -fused, pilis ad apicem nigris, subtils pallidiore ; plaga supernh prope basin caudce, huj usque apice nigris. Description. — This species is considerably larger than the European fox ; its form is more bulky, the limbs are shorter and stouter in proportion, the ears are smaller and the tail is more bushy. The fur is long, thick, and loose. The under fur is very long, abundant, and of a woolly texture. The back is mottled with black and white, the former of these colours being predominant; the hairs on this part are gray at the base, there is then a considerable space of a pale, or whitish brown colour ; next follows a broad white ring, beyond which the hairs are black. On the sides of the body the hairs are coloured in the same way, excepting that the white portion is more extended, and is followed by a rich yellow-brown, shaded into black as it approaches the apex of each hair. Hence the general hue of the sides of the body is paler than that of the back, the brown and white tints being the more conspicuous. i'/cwnstux/ws ,/Y 5. MAMMALIA. 1 The hairs of the head are annulated with white, and fulvous, and are black at the tip ; the two former colours are most conspicuous. The chin is brownish. The lower part of the cheeks, the throat, and the under parts of the body, are of a dirty yellowish white colour, inclining to buff in certain parts, especially on the lower part of the neck and chest. The limbs are of a rich deep fulvous, or yellowish rust colour externally ; the feet and inner sides of the legs are of a paler hue. On the hinder legs externally, above the heel, is a patch of bright rust colour ; such is also the colour of the ears externally, and likewise of that portion of the neck behind the ears. Internally the ears are furnished with long yellowish white hairs. The tail is long and very bushy; at its base the hairs are rusty white, towards the middle they are of a paleish rust colour, and at the apex they are black; there is also a black patch on the upper part towards the base. The hairs of the tail beneath are almost entirely of an uniform rusty white colour, those on the upper side are all tipped with black. In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail . .31 0 to base of ear . . 6 9 of tail (hair included) . .17 0 Habitat, Chile. {June.) “ This animal was first brought to Europe by Captain Philip P. King, who obtained it at Port Famine in Tierra del Fuego, where it is common. My speci- men was obtained in the valley of Copiapo in the northern part of Chile. The Ma- gellanic fox, therefore, has a range on the western coast of at least 1600 miles, from the humid and entangled forests of Tierra del Fuego, to the almost absolutely desert country of northern Chile. In La Plata, on the Atlantic side of the continent, I believe it is not found.* It is mentioned by Molina in his account of the animals of Chile,! under the name of Culpeu, which he supposes to be derived from the Indian word “ culpem,” signifying madness ; for this animal, when it sees a man, runs towards him, and standing at the distance of a few yards, looks at him attentively. He adds, although great numbers are killed, they do not leave off this habit. Molina states that he has repeatedly been a witness of this, and I received nearly similar accounts from several of the inhabitants of Chile : yet I must observe, that the people of the farm-house, where my specimen was killed * Azara has not described this animal, which circumstance alone would render it probable that it is not an inhabitant of Paraguay or La Plata. The two Foxes mentioned by him are the Aguara-guaza, {Gams jubatus, Auct.) a very large kind of fox (a strangely exaggerated description of this animal is given by Falliner) of which I could not obtain a specimen ; and the Aguara-chay, or Cams Azarce. t Molina, Compendio de la Historia del Reyno de Chile, vol. i. p. 330 and 332. c 2 In. Lines. Length of ear ..... 2 0 Height of body at the shoulders . .14 6 12 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. (after it, together with its female, had destroyed nearly two hundred fowls') bitterly complained of its craftiness. From this bold curiosity in the disposition of the Culpeu, Molina thought that it was the same animal as that described by Byron at the Falkland Islands, but we now know that they are different. The Culpeu burrows holes under ground, often wanders about by day, is very strong and fleet. When riding one day in the valley of Copiapo, accompanied by a half-bred grey- hound, I happened to come across one of these foxes ; and although the ground was, in the first part of the chase, level, it soon entirely distanced its pursuer. Whilst running, it barked so like a dog, that until it had run some way a-head of the greyhound, I could not tell from which animal the noise proceeded. After the Culpeu had reached the mountains, it made a sudden bend from its course, and returned in a nearly parallel line, but at the base of a steep cliff of rock ; it then quietly seated itself on its haunches, and seemed to listen with much satis- faction to the dog, which was running the scent on the mountain side, above its head.” — D. 3. Canis fulvipes. Plate VI. Canis fulvipes, Martin , Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1837, p. ll. C. supra niger , albo adspersus, capite lateribusque Juscis, sordide albo nigroque adspersis ; rostro superiore, mentoque fusco-nigricantibus ; gula, labiis superioribus , femoribusque ad partem anteriorem, sordidb albis ; pectore abdomineque fuscescentibus ; auribus externb rufo-castaneis ; brachiis interne , tarsis, digitisque fuscescenti-fulvis ; artubus posticis extus supra calcem fusco-nigrescentibus ; caudce colore ad basin ut in corpore , apice nigro. Description. — This species is considerably less than the common European fox, ( Canis Vulpes, Auct.) its weight probably would scarcely exceed half that of the latter animal. The form of the body is stout, the limbs are short and rather slender ; the head is also short, and the muzzle is pointed ; the ears are of moderate size. The tail is about equal to half the whole length of the body, head included ; and compared with that of ordinary foxes, is much less bushy, especially at the base. The general hue of this animal is very dark ; the fur is rather short, and harsh to the touch ; the under fur is abundant, and of a woolly texture. On the back, all the hairs are of a deep brown colour, annulated with white near the apex, and black at the apex. When the fur is Cawio' _ MAMMALIA. 13 in its ordinary position, the brown colour is not seen, and the black and white produce a grizzled appearance ; the black colour, however, predomi- nates. On the sides of the body each hair is grayish at the base, then pale brown, near the apex annulated with white, and at the apex black : the three last mentioned colours are exhibited in about equal proportions (the fur being in its natural position) over the haunches and shoulders, but between these two parts, the brown and white colours are the more conspicuous. The hairs of the head are coloured in the same way as those of the sides of the body, excepting that the brown portion of each hair, is replaced by rusty brown, which gives a rufous hue to this part. The muzzle and chin are of a sooty brown colour. A dirty white patch is observable on each side of the muzzle at the apex, and this colour is extended along the margin of the upper lip on to the lower part of the cheeks, and over the whole of the throat ; all the hairs in these parts (with the exception of those on the lips) being of a deep brownish gray colour, with their apical portions only, white. The ears are covered internally with long yellowish white hairs ; towards, and on the margin of the ears externally, the hairs are of a buff colour, on the remaining portion of the ears, and on the sides of the neck, they are of a reddish chestnut hue. The hairs of the under parts of the body are brown, those near the hinder legs, and between them, are of a dirty white colour at the apex ; towards the rump they are of a yellowish brown colour. The hairs of the tail are brown, black at the apex, and annulated with white near the apex ; on the apical portion the hairs are black, and brown at the base. The fore legs are of a brown colour externally, internally they are of a brownish fulvous hue ; such is also the colour of the feet. The fore part of the posterior legs is whitish, and there is a large blackish patch on the outer side, and extending around the posterior part, above the heel. Length from nose to root of tail to base of ear of tail (hair included) In. Lines. 24 0 Length of ear 0 4§ Height of body at shoulders 10 0 In. Lines. 2 3i 10 6 Habitat, Chiloe. ( December .) “ I killed this animal on the sea-beach, at the southern point of the island ; it is considered extremely rare in the northern and inhabited districts. Molina mentions this fox, which he falsely considered as the C. lagopus, under the name of the Payne Guru, and he adds, that in the Archipelago of Chiloe, it is found of a black colour. From this circumstance I am induced to believe that the species is confined to these islands.” — D. 14 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 4. Canis Azar#:. Plate VII. Canis Azarag, Pr. Maximilian , Beitrage zur N aturgeschiclite Braziliens, vol. ii. p. 338. Agouarachay, Azara, Essais sur l’histoire naturelle des Quadrupedes de la Province du Paraguay, tom. i. p. 317. C. supra albo nigroque variegatus ; lateribus cinerescentibus ; capite, auribus ex- tern^, artubusque, cinereo-cinnamominis ; mento nigro ; tibiis externis ad basin nigro lavatis ; cauda albescent e, supra nigro variegata, ad apicem nigra ; spatio pone angulos oris, gutture, corporeque subtiis albescentibus ; f asciis duabus griscescenti- bus in pectore plus minusve distinctis. Description. — Compared with the common fox ( Canis Vulpes, Auct.), the present animal is rather smaller, and of a more slender form. Its limbs are a little longer in proportion ; the ears are not so broad. The tail is not quite so bushy, neither is it so long ; the fur is much longer, and of a harsher nature. The predominant colours of the body are black and white ; the limbs are of a fulvous hue externally. The hairs on the under part of the feet are dirty brown ; the fore part of the anterior legs, and the feet, are of a buff colour ; on the former, the hairs are more or less distinctly tipped with black, which produces a grizzled appearance. The inner side of the fore legs is of an uni- form pale buff colour ; the hinder part of these legs, the fore part of the pos- terior legs, and the inner side of the thighs, are white. On the outer side of the hinder legs, at some little distance above the heel, is a large blackish patch. The under parts of the body are of a dirty white hue, arising from the hairs being dusky or brownish at the base, and tipped with white, as on the fore part of the belly, or of a pale buff colour at the base, as towards the rump. The edge of the upper lip, the throat, neck, and chest, are white ; a broad grayish band extends across the latter, and another of a paler hue crosses the lower part of the neck. The chin is black, and this colour is ex- tended backwards around the angle of the mouth. The upper part of the head is of a pale yellow-brown colour, each hair being annulated with white near the apex. The ears are furnished with white hairs internally, and ex- ternally they are of a yellowish brown colour, tipped with black ; at the base of the ears, and the portion of the neck on each side nearest to them, the MAMMALIA. 15 hairs are of an uniform buff colour. The hairs of the moustaches are long and stiff, and of a black colour. The hairs of the back, which are very long, are brown at the base, very pale towards the skin, and of a deep brown in the opposite direction ; each hair is then white, and at the apex black. The tail is whitish, mottled with black ; the apical portion is black, and there is a patch of the same colour towards the base on the upper side. Length from nose to root of tail to base of ear of tail (hair included) In. Lines. 27 6 Length of ear 5 9 Height of body at shoulders 14 6 In. Lines. 3 2 14 0 Habitat, La Plata, Patagonia, and Chile. The black and white portions of the hairs on the back produce in that part a mottled appearance, and in the specimen from which the above description is taken, these two colours are about equal in proportion. In another specimen now before me, the black colour predominates on the back. The fur in the younger animals of this species is not so long nor so harsh, and the upper parts are grizzled with black and white ; that is to say, these two colours do not form patches of considerable extent as in the adults ; the general colouring is also somewhat paler. The chin is brown-black or brown, instead of black, and the upper band, or that, which in the adult extends across the upper part of the neck, is interrupted in the middle ; in fact, is only traceable on the sides of the neck. Azara, in his description of the Agouarachay, says, the muzzle, as far back as the eyes, is blackish ; whereas, in all the specimens examined by me, the muzzle is of the same colour as the other parts of the head, or very nearly so. In other respects his description agrees with the animal described by me, and not with the Canis cinereo-argentatus, which Desmarest and Lesson suppose to be the Agouarachay of Azara. In Fischer’s “ Synopsis Mammalium" the Canis Azarce is described as having the tip of the tail white ; whereas it is black, not only in the five specimens which have come under my notice, but also in those in the collec- tion of Prince Maximilian* (who was the original describer) and in the Paris Museum. “ This animal has a wide range ; Prince Maximilian brought specimens from Brazil ; and it is common in La Plata, Chile, the whole of Patagonia, even to the shores of the Strait of Magellan ; and a fox, which lives on the small islands not far from Cape Horn, probably belongs to this species. This animal generally frequents desert places ; I saw many in the valley of the Despoblado, a branch of * I am indebted to Mr. Ogilby, who visited the Prince’s collection, for a description from the specimens of C. Azarce therein preserved. In this description the tip of the tail is said to be black. 16 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. that of Copiapo, where there is no fresh water, and where, with the exception of some small rodents, (the constant inhabitants of sterile regions) scarcely any other animal could exist. I saw also very many of these foxes wandering about by day (although Azara says they are nocturnal in Paraguay) on the plains of Santa Cruz, where various kinds of mice are abundant, and likewise around the Sierra Yentana. In the course of one day’s ride in this latter neighbourhood, (not far from Bahia Blanca, lat. 39° S.) I should think I saw between thirty and forty. They generally were wandering at no great distance from their burrows ; but, as they are not very swift animals, our dogs caught two. Azara states that in Para- guay this fox, which he calls the Agoura-chay, inhabits thick woods, and that it makes a great nest or pile of straw, to lie on ; but that near Buenos Ayres it uses the holes of the Bizcacha. Further southward, where the Bizcacha is not found, it certainly excavates its own burrow.* In Chile these foxes are very destructive to the vineyards, from the quantity of grapes they consume ; so that boys are generally kept in the vintage season with bells and other means to frighten them away. Azara states, that in Paraguay they likewise eat fruit and sugar- cane. By the same authority it is said, that the Agoura-chay, when taken young, is easily domesticated.” — D. 1. Felis Yagouaroundi. Plate VIII. Felis Yagouaroundi, Desmarest, Mammologie, p. 230. Yagouaroundi, Azara, Essais sur l’histoire Naturelle des Quadrupedes de la Province du Paraguay, tom. i. p. 171. Felis Darwinii, Martin, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1837, p. 3. F. vellere brevi, adpresso, purpurascenti-fusco ; pilis flavescente annulatis ; pedibus nigro lavatis ; cauda longissima ; auribus parvulis. Description. — The fur is rather harsh, short, and somewhat adpressed: the under fur is of a pale grayish brown colour ; the hairs which constitute the chief clothing of the animal, are black, annulated with brownish yellow, or in some parts, yellow-white, each hair having about three or four rings. The black and pale colours are about equal in proportion, and their mixture pro- * Considering the great difference of climate and other conditions between the hot and wooded country of Paraguay, and the desolate plains of Patagonia, one is led to suspect that the Canis Azarce of La Plata and Patagonia, which wanders about by day, and inhabits burrows instead of heaps of straw, may turn out to be a different species from the Agouara-chay of Azara, which is nocturnal in its habits, and lives in thick coverts. ■ WamwuxZwt/. Pl.<3. Jlhs ]tyoiMW‘OVwk/. MAMMALIA. 17 duces a deep brown tint, which is almost uniform throughout the body and limbs. On the head the yellowish colour predominates over the black, excepting on the tip of the muzzle, and thence back to the eye, where the hairs are of a brownish black colour. On the throat the hairs are brown. The underside of the tarsus is black, and on the outer side of the fore-foot there is a black mark which extends upwards on to the wrist. The tail is long and bushy ; towards and on the base, the hairs are annulated with black and yellow, like those of the body ; but beyond this they are of a more uniform colour, each hair being brown at the base, and gradually shaded into black towards the tip. The ears are small and rounded, and covered with hairs of the same colour as those on the head. The claws are of a large size, and white colour ; the toes are united for a considerable portion of their length by the interdigital membrane. Length from nose to root of tail to base of ear of tail (hairs included) In. Lines. 25 0 Length of ear 3 6 Height of body at shoulders 19 0 In. Lines 1 0 12 0 Habitat, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. {May.) “ This cat was given me by an old Portuguese priest, who had hunted it down in a thick forest with a small pack of dogs, after a severe chase. It was killed near the Gavia mountain, at the distance of a few miles only from Rio de Janeiro, where it was considered uncommon.” D. Although small, compared with the Puma, ( Felis concolor, Auct.), this cat, in its slender lengthened body, small head, long tail, and stout limbs, decidedly evinces an affinity to that species. According to the dimensions of the Yagouaroundi given by Azara, Desmarest, and Temminck, it appears that the tail is considerably shorter in proportion in the specimens examined by those naturalists, than in the present individual, and the difference was such, as to induce Mr. Martin to believe that the latter was a distinct species; he accordingly proposed for it the specific name of Darwinii. At the time that Mr. Martin described the specimen alluded to, I was also inclined to believe it was a distinct species. I mention this because I am afraid my opinion had a slight share in influencing Mr. Martin’s determination. I have since seen many specimens, and upon comparing their dimensions, I find that the proportionate length of the tail varies more than is usual in other species of cats, and that the difference in the length in this member is not combined with any other distinguishing character. In colouring there is also a considerable varia- tion, some specimens being almost black, and having the hairs but obscurely annulated with white ; in others, the hairs are more distinctly annulated, and the head assumes a grayish hue. Others again, are brown, or black brown, D 18 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. having the hairs annulated with yellow. The following are the dimensions of two specimens in the Paris museum, and those given by the authors above alluded to.* Paris M. Paris M. Desmarest. TemmincJc. Azara. In. Lines. In. Lines. In. Lines. In. Lines. In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail . 30 6 28 0 23 0 30 0 36 9 of tail . , 24 0 17 0 13 9 22 0 13 0 2. Felis Pajeros. Plate IX. Chat Pampa, Azara , Essais sur l’histoire Naturelle des Quadrupedes du Paraguay. Traduct. FranQ. tom. 1. p. 179. Felis Pajeros, Desmarest , Mammologie, p. 231. F. vellere longissimo, jlavescenti-griseo, f asciis Jlavescenti-fuscis indistincte et sublon- gitudinaliter notato; pedibus annulis latis nigris; abdomine maculis magnis nigris ; mento albo ; cauda brevi ; auribus mediocribus, ad apicem externum nigris. Description. — The Pampas cat is about equal in size to the common wild cat of Europe ( Felis Catus, Linn.). It is however of a stouter form than that animal, the head is smaller, and the tail is shorter. The most remarkable character in this species consists in the great length of the fur, — the longer hairs on the back measuring upwards of three inches, and those on the hinder part of the back, are from four and a half, to four and three quarter inches in length. The general colour of the fur is pale yellow-gray. Numerous irregular yellow, or sometimes brown stripes run in an oblique manner from the back along the sides of the body. On each side of the face there are two stripes of a yellowish or cinnamon colour : these stripes commence near the eye, extend backwards and down- wards over the cheeks, on the hinder part of which they join and form a single line, which encircles the lower part of the throat. The tip of the muzzle and the chin are white, and there is a spot in front of the eye, and a line beneath the eye, of the same colour : the belly and the inner side and hinder part of * In measuring- the species of Mammalia, I almost invariably, when wishing to give the length, measure from the tip of the nose along the curve of the hack to the root of the tail. In the Ruminantia of course this plan is not desirable, but in other Mammals I have found it most convenient. If we take a Oat, for instance, and curve the body in whatever way we please, we find the length (taken in the way just mentioned) always the same. Whereas, if we take a straight line (as many naturalists do) the length will vary according to the posi- tion of the animal. ’WOf. MAMMALIA. 19 the fore-legs are also white. An irregular black line runs across the lower part of the chest and extends over the base of the fore-legs externally, and above this line there are two other transverse dark markings on the chest, which are more or less defined. On the fore-legs there are three broad black bands, two of which encircle the leg, and on the posterior legs there are about five black bands externally, and some irregular dark spots internally. The feet are yellowish, and the underside of the tarsus is of a slightly deeper hue. On the belly there are numerous large irregular black spots. The ears are of moderate size, furnished internally with long white hairs ; externally, the ears are of the same colour as the head, excepting at the apex where the hairs are black and form a slight tuft. The tail is short, somewhat bushy, and devoid of dark rings or spots — the hairs are in fact coloured as those of the back of the animal. On the upper part of the body each hair is brown at the base, then yellow, and at the apex, black. On the hinder part of the back the hairs are almost black at the base, and on the sides of the body each hair is gray at the base; there is then a considerable space of yellowish- white colour; towards the apex they are white, and at the apex black. The greater number of the hairs of the moustaches are white. Length from nose to root of tail to base of ear of tail (fur included) In. Lines. 26 0 Length of ear 3 6 Height of body at shoulders 11 0 In. Lines. 1 11 . 13 0 Habitat, Santa Cruz, Patagonia, (April,) and Bahia Blanca, (August.) The markings in this animal vary slightly in intensity ; those on the body are generally indistinct, but the black rings on the legs are always very con- spicuous. “This animal takes its name from ‘paja,’ the Spanish word for straw, from its habit of frequenting reeds. It is common over the whole of the great plains, which compose the eastern side of the southern part of America. According to Azara, it extends northward as far as latitude 30°, and to the south, I have reason to believe, from the accounts I have received, that it is found near the Strait of Magellan, which would give it a range of nearly 1400 miles, in a north and south line. One of my specimens was obtained, in 50° south, at Santa Cruz : it was met with in a valley, where a few thickets were growing. When disturbed, it did not run away, but drew itself up, and hissed. My other specimen was half- grown, and was killed in the end of August, at Bahia Blanca.”— D. 20 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 2. Felis domestica. Felis domestica, Brisson , Reg. Anim. p. 264. I find in Mr. Darwin’s collection a cat, the colouring and proportions of which, convince me that its origin is from the domestic cat, as however it was shot in a wild state far from any house, a description may, perhaps, prove useful. Its general colour is deep gray, and the body is adorned with numerous irregular narrow black bands ; there is a broad black mark, formed of confluent spots, along the middle of the back, which commences a little behind the shoulders ; a considerable space around the angles of the mouth, the chin, throat, central portion of the chest, fore-feet, toes of the hinder feet, and the posterior portion of the belly, are white ; a black line extends backwards from the posterior angle of the eye, on to the cheeks ; thence, across the throat, there are two lines : the space between the eye is chiefly occupied with white hairs : the tail is slender, and tapers towards the apex ; the basal half is gray with black rings, and the apical half is black, excepting the extreme point, which is white : the tarsus is black beneath : the legs are of a deep gray colour, banded with black externally. To the dimensions I will add those of a domestic cat which in colour and markings very closely resembles the animal above described. I may add that I have chosen a cat rather above the ordinary size for my comparison, yet it will be seen that the wild cat has the advantage in bulk. In. Lines. In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail . . 22 0 19 0 of tail . . 12 3 11 6 of tarsus . . . . . 5 1 4 7 of ear . ... . 1 11 Height at shoulders . . . . . 11 3 Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, {May.) “ This animal was killed amongst some thickets on a rocky hill from Maldonado. It appeared, when dead, much larger and stronger than any domestic cat I ever saw, and it was described to me as having been ex- ceedingly fierce. I mention this because M. Temminck supposes that the do- mesticated varieties of all animals are of larger size, than the wild stock from which they are descended.” — D.* * I must refer the reader to my journal for some account of the habits of the jaguar and puma, which being well known animals, and the facts that I mention having little scientific interest, I have not thought it worth while to repeat them here. MAMMALIA. 21 Gallictis vittata. Gallictis vittata, Bell, Zoological Journal, vol. ii. p. 551-2. , ,, Proceedings of the Zoological Society, for April, 1837, p. 39. Gulo vittatus, Desmarest, Mamm. p. 175. “ This animal is not uncommon at Maldonado, where it is called “Huron” or thief, from the ravages it commits on eggs and poultry. Shortly after being killed this specimen weighed 1 lb. 8 oz. (Imp. weight).” — D. 1. Lutra Platensis. L. vellere nitido, adpresso, intense fusco ; corpore subtus pallidiore; gutture adlatera, et subtus, pallidb fusco ; mento rostrique apice sordide Jlavescenti-albis ; pedibus nigrescenti-fuscis ; pilis caudce super nt brevioribus, adpressis, illis ad caudce latera longioribus et Jimbriam efficientibus. Description. — This Otter is about equal in size to the common European species {Lutra vulgaris , Auct.): its fur is short, glossy, and adpressed ; the under fur is tolerably abundant and of a silky nature. The general colouring of the ordinary fur is deep brown, and that of the under fur is very pale brown, deeper externally. The tint of the under parts of the body is paler than the upper, and may be described as brown, that of the throat, sides and under part of the neck, pale brown; and, on the tip of the muzzle and chin, dirty yellowish-white. The hairs of the moustaches are brownish-white ; the ears are covered with short deep brown hairs, those towards the tip are paler. The hairs covering the feet above are short, and of a very deep brown colour. The tail is tolerably long, thick at the base, whence it gradually tapers to the apex. The hairs on the base of the tail resemble those of the body, but on the remaining portion, they are short, glossy, and very closely applied to the skin both on the upper and under surface, whereas those on the sides are longer, and form a kind of fringe. The tip of the muzzle and the soles of the feet are naked, with the exception of the hinder half of the tarsus. In. Lines. | In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail . . 28 0 | Length of tail . . . . . 18 0 Habitat, La Plata, {July.) 22 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. The La Plata Otter in its general colouring is of a somewhat deeper hue than the European species, the cheeks and throat instead of being nearly white are of a pale brown colour ; the tail is longer in proportion, and tapers more gradually ; the tip of the muzzle is naked, but the hairless portion is less than in that species, the boundary line between the naked part and the hair of the top of the muzzle forming almost a semicircle ; the retiring extremities of this line touch the pos- terior angle of the nostril on each side, whereas in the common otter the boundary line of the hair of the muzzle is of a w-like form. The skull is figured in Plate 35, figs. 4, a, b, c, and d, and is compared with that of L. Chilensis in the next description. “ This specimen was killed by some fishermen a few miles from Maldonado, near the mouth of the estuary of the Plata, where the water is quite salt. I am not, however, by any means sure that it may not be a fresh-water species, which had wandered from its proper station ; in the same manner as not unfrequently is the case with the Hydrochcerus Capybara. I am indebted to Mr. Chaffers, the master of the Beagle, for having kindly presented me with this speci- men.”— D. 2. Lutra Chilensis. Lutra Chilensis, Bennett, Proceedings of the Committee of Science and Correspondence of the Zoologioal Society of London for 1832, p. 1. L. fusca ; vellere mediocri, laxo et sub-extante ; mento, gula, et faciei lateribus, pallide fuscis ; pedibus saturate fuscis ; corporis pilis ad apicem pallide fuscis ; cauda mediocri ; rostri apice calvo. Description. — This species scarcely equals a full grown European otter in size. It is of a brown colour throughout ; the cheeks, chin, and throat, being slightly paler, and the feet of a deeper tint, than the other parts. The fur is moderately long, rather harsh to the touch, and semi-erect : the under fur is abundant, and of a soft and silk nature. The hairs of the ordinary fur are deep brown, but tipped with a very pale brown colour. The hairs of the tail, like those of the body, are harsh and semi-erect; towards the apex, those on the upper and under part are in a slight degree shorter than those at the sides, and lie closer to the skin ; these differences, however, are not very apparent on the upper side, though distinct on the under. The feet are naked beneath, with the exception of the posterior half of the tarsus. The hair of the muzzle extends only down to the posterior angle of the MAMMALIA. 23 nostrils, where it terminates in a straight line, leaving the tip of the muzzle naked. In. Lines. | In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail . . 31 0 j Length of tail . . . . .14 3 Habitat, Chonos Archipelago, {January.) The Chile Otter was originally described by Mr. Bennett from a specimen presented to the Zoological Society by Mr. Cuming, but as this specimen is a young animal, scarcely half-grown, it does not present some of the characters of the species in so marked a manner as the adult. I have, therefore, availed myself of an adult specimen in Mr. Darwin’s collection, to draw up the above de- scription. Compared with the Common Otter {Lutra vulgaris, Auct.) the most striking difference consists in the character of the fur : the hairs instead of being ad- pressed as in that species, are here semi-erect, and appear as if they had been clipped at the extremity. The fur is of a deeper colour, but has a slightly grizzled appearance, owing to the tip of each hair being of a much paler colour than the remaining part. In the young animal described by Mr. Bennett, (which in weight was pro- bably not more than one-third of that of the present animal) the hairs of the body are of an uniform deep brown colour; hence, if I am right in considering Mr. Darwin’s animal as the same species, it would appear that the grizzled character of the fur is dependent on age. The semi-erect fur will also serve to distinguish the present species from the Lutra Platensis ; the fur is likewise longer, the tail is shorter, and the feet are smaller in proportion. The most important distinctions, however, are furnished by the skulls ; I will, therefore, compare them. The skull of L. Chilensis compared with that of L. Platensis , (Plate 35, figs. 4.) when viewed from above, presents but little difference in general form ; it is, however, smaller in all its proportions, and the zygomatic arch is a little less convex : the palate is proportionately shorter ; the tympanic bull® are much smaller, less elevated, and wider apart, in which respect there is a greater ap- proximation to the skull of L. vulgaris than to that of L. Platensis ; but here, the tympanic bullae are larger than in L. Chilensis. Both in L. Chilensis and Pla- tensis, the sub-orbital foramina are kidney-shaped, the emarginated portion being downwards, whilst in L. vulgaris they approach somewhat to a triangular figure, the apex being external. In L. Chilensis, however, this foramen is comparatively larger than in L. Platensis, and the outer portion of the foramen forms the 24 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. segment of a larger circle than the inner one, whilst in L. Platensis both portions are equal. The principal difference in the dentition of the La Plata and the Chile otters, consists in the comparatively smaller size of the posterior molars, both of the upper and lower jaws, of the latter species. In the upper jaw, the “carnassiere” has its inner lobe, approaching somewhat to a triangular form, whereas in L. Pla- tensis it is broader and almost semicircular. In the lower jaw, the last molar but one has the inner lobe much smaller than the middle outer lobe, whilst in L. Platensis these two lobes are of nearly equal size and elevation. Other points of dissimilarity will be perceived in the annexed table of admeasurements. L. Chilensis. L. Platensis. In. Lines. In. Lines. Whole length of skull . . . . . . . . . . 3 9f 4 2^ Greatest width 2 6^ 2 10| Width of skull from the apex of one mastoid process to the opposite . 2 3^ 2 8^ Length of palate ........... 1 6 1 10 Breadth of palate between the posterior molars ...... 7f 7f Length from last molar to posterior margin of palate ..... 3-g 5^ from base of canine to hinder part of last molar . . . . Ilf 1 1 g of carnassi&re .......... 5 5§ Width of do. 5 6i Length of last molar .......... 2f 3-g Width of do 5§ Length of ramus of lower jaw . . . . . . . .2 4^ 2 8f from canine to hinder portion of last molar (lower jaw) . . 1 2j 14^ of last molar but one (lower jaw) ...... 5§ 6 § Width of do 2§ 8i “ These animals are exceedingly common amongst the innumerable channels and bays, which form the Chonos Archipelago. They may generally be seen quietly swimming, with their heads just out of water, amidst the great entangled beds of kelp, which abound on this coast. They burrow in the ground, within the forest, just above the rocky shore, and I was told, that they sometimes roam about the woods. This otter does not, by any means, live exclusively on fish. One was shot whilst running to its hole with a large volute-shell in its mouth ; another (I believe the same species) was seen in Tierra del F uego devouring a cuttle fish. But in the Chonos Archipelago, perhaps the chief food of this ani- mal, as well as of the immense herds of great seals, and flocks of terns and cormorants, is a red coloured crab (belonging to the family Macrouri) of the size of a prawn, which swims near the surface in such dense bodies, that the water appears of a red colour. This specimen weighed nine pounds and a half.”— D. . /9e£?Awui*? I'’U& --/fot/i,. MAMMALIA. 25 Family — DELPHINIDiE. Delphinus FitzRoyi. Plate X. D. suprh niger; capitis corporisque lateribus, corporeque subtus niveis ; cauda, pedibus, labioque inferiore, nigris ; fasciis latis duabus per latus utrumque oblique excur- rentibus, nigrescenti-cinereis, hujusque colons fascia, utrinque ab angulo oris ad pedern tendente. Description. — Upper parts of the body black, under parts pure white, the two blended into each other by gray : extremity of snout, a ring round the eye, the edge of the under lip, and the tail fin, black ; dorsal and pectoral fins dark gray ; a broad gray mark extends from the angle of the mouth to the pectoral fin ; above which, the white runs through the eye and is blended into gray over the eye ; two broad deep-gray bands are extended in an oblique manner along each side of the body, running from the back downwards and backwards ; iris of eye dark brown. Body anteriorly some- what depressed, posteriorly compressed ; head conical, arched above ; the lower lip projecting beyond the upper ; eye placed above and behind, but near the angle of the mouth ; breathing vent situated in the same line as the eyes— supposing a circle to be taken round the head. Teeth slightly curved, and conical ; in the upper jaw twenty-eight in number on each side, and in the lower, twenty-seven. Ft. In. Lines. Total length (measuring along the curve of back) .... Length from tip of muzzle to vent ....... to dorsal fin ..... to pectoral ...... to eye to breathing aperture (following curve of head) to angle of mouth ..... of dorsal fin along the anterior margin ..... Height of do. .......... Length of pectoral, along anterior margin ...... Width of tail ........... Girth of body before dorsal fin . before pectoral fin ...... before tail fin .... of head over the eyes ......... Habitat, coast of Patagonia, Lat. 42° 30', {April.) E 3 10 9 2 6 5 14 5 0 9 9 0 10 7 0 7 9 1 0 5 0 6 4 12 8 1 4 5 3 0 6 2 8 2 0 7 8 2 0 0 26 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. This species, which I have taken the liberty of naming after Captain Fitz- Roy, the Commander of the Beagle, approaches in some respects to the Delphitius superciliosus of the “ Voyage de la Coquille,” but that animal does not possess the oblique dark-gray bands on the sides of the body ; it likewise wants the gray mark which extends from the angle of the mouth to the pectoral fins. In the figure the under lip of the D. superciliosus is represented as almost white, whereas in the present species it is black : j udging from the figures, there is likewise con- siderable difference in the form. The figure which illustrates this description agrees with the dimensions, which were carefully taken by Mr. Darwin imme- diately after the animal was captured, and hence is correct. “ This porpoise, which was a female, was harpooned from the Beagle in the Bay of St. Joseph, out of several, in a large troop, which were sporting round the ship. I am indebted to Captain FitzRoy for having made an excellent coloured drawing of it, when fresh killed, from which the accompanying litho- graph has been taken.” — D. Family — CAMELIDiE. Auchenia Llama. Desmarest. Guanaco of the aborigines of Chile. “The Guanaco abounds over the whole of the temperate parts of South America, from the wooded islands of Tierra del Fuego, through Patagonia, the hilly parts of La Plata, Chile, even to the Cordillera of Peru. I saw several of these animals in Navarin Island, forty miles north of Cape Horn ; the Guanaco, therefore, has, with the exception of a fox and mouse, inhabitants of the same island, the most southern range of all American quadrupeds. Although pre- ferring an elevated site, it yields in this respect to its near relative the Vicuna. On the plains of Southern Patagonia, we saw them in greater numbers than in any other part. Generally they go in small herds, from half a dozen to thirty together ; but on the banks of the Santa Cruz, we saw one herd, which must have contained at least five hundred. On the northern shores of the Strait of Magellan they are also very numerous. The Guanacoes are generally wild and extremely wary : Mr. Stokes told me, that he one day in Patagonia saw through a glass a herd of these beasts, which evidently had been frightened, and were running away MAMMALIA. 27 at full speed, although their distance was so great that they could not be dis- tinguished by the naked eye. “ The sportsman frequently receives the first intimation of their presence, by hearing from a long distance their peculiar shrill neighing note of alarm. If he then looks attentively, he will, perhaps, see the herd standing in a line on the side of some distant hill. On approaching, a few more squeals are given, and then off they set, at an apparently slow but really quick canter, along some narrow beaten track to a neighbouring hill. If, however, by chance he should abruptly meet a single animal, or several together, they will generally stand motionless, and intently gaze at him ; — then, perhaps, move on a few yards, turn round, and look again. What is the cause of this difference in their shiness ? Do they mistake a man in the distance for their chief enemy the puma ? Or does curiosity over- come their timidity ? That they are curious is certain, for if a person lies on the ground, and plays strange antics, such as throwing up his feet in the air, they will almost always approach by degrees to reconnoitre him. It is an artifice that was repeatedly practised with success by the sportsman of the Beagle, and it had moreover the advantage of allowing several shots to be fired, which were all taken as parts of the performance. On the mountains of Tierra del Fuego, and in other places, I have more than once seen a Guanaco on being approached, not only neigh and squeal, but prance and leap about in the most ridiculous manner, apparently in defiance, as a challenge. These animals are very easily domesticated, and I have seen some in this state near the houses in northern Patagonia, although at large on their native plains. They are, when thus kept, very bold, and readily attack a man, by striking him from behind with both knees. It is asserted, that the motive for these attacks is jealousy on account of their females. The wild Guanacoes, however, have no idea of defence ; and even a single dog will secure one of these large animals, till the huntsman can come up. In many of their habits they are like sheep in a flock. Thus when they see men approaching in several directions on horseback, they soon become be- wildered, and know not which way to run. This circumstance greatly facilitates the Indian method of hunting, for they are thus easily driven to a central point, and are encompassed. “The Guanacoes readily" take to the water; several times at Port Valdes they were seen swimming from island to island. Byron, in his voyage, says he saw them drinking salt water. Some of our officers likewise saw a herd apparently drinking the briny fluid from a Salina near Cape Blanco ; and in several parts of the country, if they do not drink salt water, I believe they drink none at all. In the middle of the day, they frequently roll in the dust, in saucer- shaped hollows. The males often fight together; one day two passed quite close to me, squealing and trying to bite each other ; and several were shot with their 28 ZOOLOGY OF THE YOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. hides deeply scored. Herds appear sometimes to set out on exploring parties : at Bahia Blanca, where within thirty miles of the coast these animals are extremely scarce, I one day saw the tracks of thirty or forty, which had come in a direct line to a muddy salt water creek. They then must have perceived, that they were approaching the sea, for they had wheeled with the regularity of cavalry, and had returned back in as straight a line, as they had advanced. The Guana- coes have one singular habit, the motive of which is to me quite inexplicable, namely, that on successive days they drop their dung on one defined heap. I saw one of these heaps, which was eight feet in diameter, and necessarily was composed of a large quantity. Frezier remarks on this habit as common to the Guanaco as well as to the Llama ;* he says it is very useful to the Indians, who use the dung for fuel, and are thus saved the trouble of collecting it. “ The Guanacoes appear to have favourite spots for dying in. On the banks of the Santa Cruz, the ground was actually white with bones in certain circum- scribed spaces, which generally were bushy and all near the river. On one such spot I counted between ten and twenty heads. I particularly examined the bones ; they did not appear, as some scattered ones which I had seen, gnawed or broken as if dragged together by a beast of prey. The animals in most cases, must have crawled, before dying, beneath and amongst the bushes. Mr. Bynoe informs me, that during the last voyage, he observed the same circumstances on the banks of the Rio Gallegos. I do not at all understand the reason of this ; but I may add, that the Guanacoes which were wounded on the plains near the Santa Cruz invariably walked towards the river. This quadruped seems particularly liable to contain in its stomach bezoar stones. The Indians who trade at the Rio Negro, bring great numbers to sell as Remedios or quack medicines ; and I saw one old man with a box quite full of them, large and small.” — D. D’Orbigny says, (vol. ii. p. 69,) that all the species of the genus have this habit. MAMMALIA. 29 Family — CERVIDiE. Cervus campestris. Cervus campestris, F, Cuvier , in Diet, des Sc. Nat. VII. p. 484. , Cuvier Oss. Foss. IV. p. 51. PI. 3. f. 46.* Guazuti, Azara, “ Natural History of the Quadrupeds of Paraguay.” W. P. Hunter s translation, vol. i. p. 135. , French translation, vol. i. p. 77. Besides skins of this species of stag, I find, in Mr. Darwin’s collection, three pairs of horns, which, together with a pair belonging to one of the skins, consti- tute a sufficiently complete series to illustrate the different forms which these appendages assume, as the animal increases in size. The above four sketches, which are all drawn to the same scale, will help to convey a clear idea of the forms, and relative proportions, of these horns. The most simple horn (fig. I.) consists of a beam , eight and a half inches long, which is slightly arched outwards and considerably compressed about two and a half inches from the apex. At one inch from the base there is a small brow antler which projects forwards and upwards. In the next horn, (fig. 2.) there is the same small brow antler, but there is a single small snag , about equal in size to the brow antler, which is directed back- * Figures 47 and 48 of M. Cuviers work represent horns so unlike either of those brought over by Mr. Darwin, that I cannot help suspecting they belong to some other species of stag. Scale of twelve Inches. 30 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. wards and upwards, and is situated at three and a quarter inches from the apex of the beam. The total length of the beam is eight inches, measured in a straight line. The third pair of horns, (fig. 3.) which must have belonged to an animal con- siderably older than either of the preceding pairs, exhibits a large brow antler, in length exceeding half that of the beam : here the posterior snag is also large, and is directed backwards and upwards, whilst the apical portion of the beam is directed forward about as much as the snag is directed backwards. The total length of this horn is eleven and a half inches, measured in a straight line. The last figure (No. 4.) represents the horn of one of the specimens of which an entire skin was brought over. This horn differs only from the last in being slightly larger, and in having two additional small snags, one springing from the under side, and near the apex, of the brow antler, and the other springing from the hinder part, and near the apex of the great posterior snag. “ The Spaniards say they can distinguish how old a deer is by the number of the branches on the horns. They affirmed that the specimen, of which figure 4 represents one of the horns, was nine years old. It certainly was a very old one, as all its teeth were decayed. This specimen was killed at Maldonado, in the middle of June ; another specimen was killed at Bahia Blanca, (about three hun- dred and sixty miles southward,) in the month of October, with the hairy skin on the horns : there were others, however, whose horns were free from skin. At this time of the year, many of the does had just kidded. I was informed, by the Spaniards, that this deer sheds its horns every year. “ The Cervus campestris is exceedingly abundant throughout the countries bordering the Plata. It is found in Northern Patagonia as far south as the Rio Negro, (Lat. 41°); but, further southward, none were seen by the officers em- ployed in surveying the coast. It appears to prefer a hilly country; I saw very many small herds, containing from five to seven animals each, near the Sierra Ventana, and among the hills north of Maldonado. If a person, crawling close along the ground, slowly advances towards a herd, the deer frequently approach, out of curiosity, to reconnoitre him. I have by this means killed, from one spot, three out of the same herd. Although thus so tame and inquisitive, yet, when approached on horseback, they are exceedingly wary. In this country nobody goes on foot, and the deer knows man as its enemy, only when he is mounted, and armed with the bolas. At Bahia Blanca, a recent establishment in Northern Patagonia, I was surprised to find how little the deer cared for the noise of a gun : one day, I fired ten times, from within eighty yards, at one animal, and it was much more startled at the ball cutting up the ground, than at the report. “ The most curious fact, with respect to this animal, is the overpoweringly MAMMALIA. 31 strong and offensive odour which proceeds from the buck. It is quite indescrib- able : several times, whilst skinning the specimen, which is now mounted at the Zoological Museum, I was almost overcome by nausea. I tied up the skin in a silk pocket-handkerchief, and so carried it home : this handkerchief, after being well washed, I continually used, and it w7as, of course, as repeatedly washed ; yet every time, when first unfolded, for a space of one year and seven months, I dis- tinctly perceived the odour. This appears an astonishing instance of the perma- nence of some matter, which in its nature, nevertheless, must be most subtile and volatile. Frequently, when passing at the distance of half a mile to leeward of a herd, I have perceived the whole air tainted with the effluvium. I believe the smell from the buck is most powerful at the period when its horns are perfect, or free from the hairy skin. When in this state the meat is, of course, quite uneatable ; but the Spaniards assert, that if buried for some time in fresh earth, the taint is removed. These deer generally weigh about sixty or seventy pounds.” — D. Family — MURIDiE. 1. MlJS DECUMANUS. Mus decumanus, Auctorum . In the extensive collection of Rodent animals brought home by Mr. Darwin, I find several specimens of the above named species, that is to say, animals which resemble the European specimens of Mus Decumanus in all those characters which are the least liable to variation in individuals of the same species, such as the proportions which the various parts of the animal bear to each other : they differ, however, somewhat in colouring. Buenos Ayres, Maldonado, Valparaiso, East Falkland Island, and Keeling Island, are each, it appears, infested with the common European rat. I have now before me two specimens from East Falkland Island, and one specimen from each of the other localities, and among these I find none equal in size to the largest European specimens : as regards the colouring, the Buenos Ayres speci- men differs only from the English specimens of Mus Decumanus, in having the upper parts of a richer and deeper hue, owing to the tips of the shorter hairs being of a deep yellowT instead of pale yellow, and in having a rusty tint over the haunches. 32 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. Mr. Darwin found this variety “ common about houses in the country around Buenos Ayres.” In the Maldonado variety, the shorter hairs of the upper parts of the body are of a rusty yellow colour at the apex, in other respects it resembles the British variety. The rusty yellow colour of the tips of the hairs produces a general red- dish hue, which is the more conspicuous, when the animal is placed near an English specimen. “ Was caught in a house, at Maldonado. I saw a specimen of the common gray English, or Norway rat, lying dead in the streets, and it cer- tainly had a very different appearance from these red rats. The latter, I saw crawling about the hedges in the interior provinces at Santa Fe, and likewise in the forest of the island of Chiloe. This latter fact, however, is a strong argument against its being aboriginal, since I did not find even one undoubted American species, out of the many which I collected, inhabiting both sides of the Cor- dillera.— D. The specimen from Valparaiso very closely resembles that from Maldonado; it is, perhaps, a little less red. “ Common about the houses in the town of Valpa- raiso.” The two specimens from East Falkland are of a brighter hue, and have less gray in their colouring, than in the European variety of the common rat. “ One of them was caught in a Bay, which is sometimes frequented by shipping, but which is distant thirty or forty miles from any habitation. These rats have spread, not only over the whole of East and West Falkland, but even on some of the outlying islets. When the cold, wet, and gloomy nature of the climate is considered, it is surprising that these animals should be able to find food to live on.” — D. The general hue of the Keeling Island specimen, is deep brown, the longer hairs of the upper parts of the body being, as usual, black ; but the shorter hairs, instead of having the pale yellow tint which we observe in the European, (or, rather, British) specimens of Mus Decumanus, are of a deep, rusty yellow. The most remarkable difference, however, consists in the colouring of the under parts being of a yellowish tint, and, towards the root of the tail, of a very distinct buff yellow : the feet are brownish. “ This rat is exceedingly numerous on some of the low coral islets forming the margin of the Lagoon of Keeling Island, in the Indian Ocean. The climate is dry and hot. The rats are known to have come in a vessel from the Mauritius, which was wrecked on one of the islets, which is now called Rat Island. They appeared stunted in their growth, and many of them were mangy. They are supposed to live chiefly on cocoa-nuts, and any animal matter the sea may chance to throw up. They have not any fresh-water ; but the milk of the cocoa-nut would supply its place.” — D. MAMMALIA. 33 The principal dimensions of the above animals are as follows : — Specimen from Buenos Ayres Maldonado. Valparaiso. East Falkland. East Falkland. Keeling Island. In. Lines. In. Lines. In. Lines. In. Lines. In. Lines. In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail .99 93 86 89 90 83 of tail Imperfect 6 0 6 6 Imperfect 6 0 6 6 of tarsus 17 17 17 17 17 17 Upon comparing the skull of the Valparaiso variety with that of a British specimen of Mus decumanus, I could perceive no difference. A skull from West Falkland did not differ, neither did the dentition of the Keeling Island specimen above noticed. A perfect specimen of this last I have not had an opportunity of examining. 2. Mus (decumanus var. ?) maurus. Mus maurus, Waterh. in Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, for February, 1837, p. 20. M. pilis supra purpurescenti-nigris ; sub t us plumb eis ; auribus parvulis, pallide fuscis: cauda corpus fere cc quant e. Description. — The character of the fur of this animal nearly resembles that of Mus decumanus ; it is, however, of a harsher nature : the general colour of the upper parts and sides of the body is purple-black, arising from the longest hairs being of this colour, and likewise the tips of those which are next in length ; the latter, however, excepting at the tip, are white, and this white is not entirely hidden, even when the hairs are in their ordinary position : on the head the hairs assume a brownish hue, and are tolerably uniform : the limbs, and under parts of the body, are of a deep gray colour, with a faint purple-brown wash : the under fur is gray : the ears are small, of a brown- white, or very pale brown colour, and furnished with minute brown hairs : the small, scattered, bristly hairs of the tail are of an uniform brownish-black colour. The hairs of the moustaches are black at the base, and grayish at the apex. In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail . .11 3 of tail . . . . .76 of tarsus 18 Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, (June.) In. Lines. Length of ear 0 6£ from nose to ear . . . .22 F 34 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. This rat is very closely allied to Mus decumanus, and I think may possibly prove an extraordinary local variety of that animal. Having but one skin, and no skull, I am unable to satisfy myself on this point. Its size, as will be seen by the admeasurements, exceeds that of the common rat, or, rather, it exceeds ordinary specimens of that animal, for I have seen some which were equal to it. “ It. was killed near Maldonado, where it frequented holes in the sand hillocks near the shore. It is likewise found on the island of Guritti. If ships are ever infested with these monstrous rats, the above-mentioned localities are very likely places to have received colonies by such means. An old male weighed fifteen ounces and three quarters. The ears of this rat, when alive, were of a pale colour, which made a singular contrast with the black fur of its body.” — D. 3. Mus Jacobue. Mus decumano'ides,* Waterh. in “ Catalogue of the Mammalia preserved in the Museum of the Zoological Society of London.” M. supra fuscus, griseo-lavatus, subtus albus : pedum pilis sordide albis ; caudd cor- pore cum capite pauld longiore; auribus mediocribus: pilis perlongis in dor so crebrs inter cceteros commixtis. Description. — The general tint of the upper parts of this rat, is grayish-brown, (very nearly resembling that of Mus decumanus ) ; the longest hairs, which on the hinder portion of the back are one inch and a half in length, are black ; the ordinary hairs are black at the apex, there is then, on each hair, a considerable space occupied by pale yellow, and the remaining, or basal portion, is grayish white ; the under fur is gray : the hairs of the chin, throat, and under parts of the body, are white, and without any gray colour at the roots : the feet are covered with dirty grayish hairs : the tail, which is slender, is very sparingly furnished with minute black hairs, both above and beneath : the ears are of moderate size, of a brownish flesh colour, and, to the naked eye, appear to be destitute of hair. The hairs of the moustaches are most of them black at the base, and grayish at the apex. * The MS. name of M. decumano'ides , which I had applied to this animal, has been changed, in conse- quence of my having seen a different species, with the same name attached, in the museum of the India House. MAMMALIA. 35 Length from nose to root of tail of tail of tarsus . In. Lines. . 7 6 . 7 6 . 1 4* Length of ear from nose to ear . In. Lines. 0 7i 1 7i Habitat, James Island, Galapagos Archipelago, Pacific Ocean, {October.) This species is scarcely equal in size to a full grown common black rat, {Mus Raltus), the head is rather shorter in proportion, the tarsi are smaller, and the tail is longer. In the character of the fur, and length of the hairs, it very closely resembles that species : the ears are larger than in M. decumanus, and about equal to those of M. Rattus. In having the hairs of the under parts of the body of an uniform colour, (i. e. not gray at the base,) it resembles the Mus Tectorum of Savi ; but the large size of that animal, the greater length of the fur, and its colouring, all serve to distinguish it from the present species, which I may here observe, is truly an old world form, and very distinct from another species, also from the Galapagos, which is hereafter described. “ It is very common in James Island, but is not found on all the islands, if on any other in the Archipelago. Although its appearance is so like that of the common rat, yet its habits appear to be rather different : it is less carni- vorous, and does not appear to be so strongly attached to the habitations of man. This island was frequented, about one hundred and fifty years since, by the ves- sels belonging to the Bucaniers ; so that the common rat might easily have been transported here. And if a very peculiar climate, a volcanic soil, and strange food, can together produce a race, or strongly marked variety, there is every probability of such change having taken place in this case.” — D. 4. Mus (Rattus var.?) insularis. M. supra grisescenti, colore subtiis dilutiore; tar sis purpureo-nigris : cauda corpus cum capite cequante : auribus mediocribus : vellere molli. Description. — No. 1. The general colour of this animal is what might be termed black, there is, however, an obscure purple-brown hue on the upper parts of the body, and the sides and under parts have a grayish tint, the hairs covering the feet above are of an uniform deep purple-brown, almost black. All the hairs of the body are gray at the base : the hairs of the moustaches are long and numerous, and of a black colour, having one or two white hairs inter- mixed : the ears are of moderate size, and very sparingly furnished with f 2 36 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. minute dark hairs : the tail is long and slender, and has small, scattered, bristly hairs, of a brown-black colour. Length from nose to root of tail of tail of tarsus . In. Lines. 7 0 6 6 1 si Length of ear from nose to ear . In. Lines. 0 7 1 6 No. 2. Hairs along the centre of the back chiefly black, and but obscurely annulated, near the apex, with deep yellow : towards the sides of the body, and over the haunches, the hairs are more distinctly annulated, and on the sides of the body they are of a pale yellow at the apex : on the under parts the hairs are gray, tipped with dirty yellowish white : the feet are of the same deep purple-brown hue as in the specimen first described. Habitat, Ascension Island, Atlantic Ocean, {July.) These two animals not only differ in the colour of the fur, one being of a grizzled brownish colour, and the other black, but there is a considerable difference in the texture of the fur. In the black specimen, the fur is very soft and glossy, and the long hairs, which are abundant, are very slender. In the brown specimen, the fur is of a harsher nature, the long hairs are not so abundant, but longer, and less slender. On the other hand, they agree in size, dentition, the length of the head, tarsus, and ears, and differ but in a trifling degree (about three lines,) in the length of the tail. Upon comparing the Ascension Island specimens with M. Rattus, I find that, although in size they are about one third less, yet the teeth precisely agree, not only in form, but in size. The relative proportions of the head, ears, and tarsi, also agree. Besides the general colouring of the fur, they both differ in having the hairs of the feet uniformly purple-black, those in Mus Rattus being much paler, and even whitish, on the toes. In the character of the fur, there is much difference. The long silky hairs, which are so conspicuous in Mus Rattus, are replaced, in the black specimen, by hairs which are scarcety to be distinguished from the ordinary fur; and in the other specimen, although rather longer and more distinct, they are short, compared with those of the black rat. “ The specimen which has a black, and glossy fur, frequents the short coarse grass near the summit of the island, where the common mouse likewise occurs. It is often seen running about by day, and was found in numbers, when the island was first colonized by the English, a few years since. The other, and browner coloured variety, lives in the out-houses near the sea-beach, and feeds MAMMALIA. 37 chiefly on the offal of the turtles, slaughtered for the daily food of the inhabitants. If the settlement were destroyed, I feel no doubt that this latter variety would be compelled to migrate from the coast. Did it originally descend from the summit? and, in the case just supposed, would it retreat there? and, if so, would its black colour return ? It must, however, be observed, that the two localities are sepa- rated from each other by a space, some miles in width, of bare lava and ashes. Does the summit of Ascension, an island so immensely remote from any conti- nent, and the summit itself surrounded by a broad fringe of desert volcanic soil* possess a small quadruped, peculiar to itself? Or, more probably, has this new species been brought, by some ship, from some unknown quarter of the world ? Or, I am again tempted to ask, as I did in the case of the Galapagos rat, has the common English species been changed, by its new habitation, into a strongly marked variety?” — D. Mr. Darwin seems to have foreseen the difficult problem which these two rats have furnished, and although I have spent much time in studying the Mu rid as, I must confess I have been exceedingly puzzled by the animals in question. It appears as if the brown, and black rats, (M. decumanus, and M. Rattus ,) and likewise the common mouse, (M. Musculus,) * all of which follow man in his peregrinations, and which, to a certain degree, are dependent upon man, and may therefore be termed semi-domestic animals ; like really domestic animals, are sub- ject to a greater degree of variation than those species which hold themselves aloof from him. Upon the whole then I have determined to describe the two Ascension Island specimens as one species, and as varieties of the Mus Rattus , but with a mark of doubt, since I do not possess sufficient materials for a rigorous ex- amination, having, in fact, but one skin of each variety, and neither skull nor skeleton. I have also applied the name of insularis, to designate this variety or species, whichever it may be, for, supposing it be not a distinct species, it is so marked a variety, that a name for it is desirable. * The great Bandicoot rat of India, (Mus giganteus , of Hardwicke,) ought, perhaps, to be added to the species above enumerated ; and I strongly suspect several catalogued species will prove but varieties of this animal. 38 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 5. Mus Musculus. Mus Musculus, Auctorum. Of this species, there are six specimens in Mr. Darwin’s collection ; two were found “ living in the short grass, near the summit of the Island of Ascension, where the climate is temperate.” — D. Two others were procured “ on a small, stony, and arid island, near Porto Pray a, the capital of St. Jago, in the Cape de Verde Islands, — climate very hot and dry. Excepting during the rainy season, which is of short duration, these little animals can never taste fresh water, nor does the island afford any succulent plant.” — D. A specimen was also pro- cured “ on a grassy cliff, on East Falkland Island, at the distance of a mile from any habitation. It is singular that so delicate an animal should be able to subsist under the cold, and extremely humid climate, of the Falkland Islands, and on its unproductive soil.” — D. These specimens are all of them rather less than full grown individuals of the same species procured in England ; in other respects, they do not differ. The sixth specimen, which is from Maldonado, is considerably less than British specimens of the common mouse, and is of a richer and brighter colour, the head is smaller, the muzzle shorter in proportion, whilst the tarsi are even longer than in a large specimen of M. Musculus. These points of dissimilarity induced me to believe it was a distinct species, and to apply to it the specific name of brevirostris .* Upon re-examination, with the advantage of more experience, and consequently a better knowledge of the characters of these animals, I have changed my opinion. The teeth indicate that it is not an adult specimen, and agree perfectly with Those of M. Musculus , both in form and size. “ Common in the houses of the town of Maldonado, and its habits are similar to those of Mus Musculus — D. See Proceedings of the Zoological Society for February 14th, 1837, p. 19. Jlffrmmajhas.Tl'.M- MAMMALIA. 39 6. MUS LONGICAUDATUS. Plate XI. Mus longicaudatus, Bennett , Proceedings of the Committee of Science and Correspondence of the Zoological Society of London for January, 1832, p. 2. M. pallid £ Jlavescenti-fuscus ; corpore subtiis albo, leviter Jlavo lavato ; pedibus albis ; tarsis permagnis ; caudd perlonga ; auribus parvulis. Description. — Fur long and soft; general colour pale yellow-brown, the hairs of the ordinary fur being fulvous near the apex, and the longer hairs brown. On the sides of the body, cheeks, and external side of limbs, the fulvous hue prevails. The inner side of the limbs and the under parts of the body are white, but have an indistinct yellowish hue. All the hairs of the body are of a deep gray colour at the base. The ears are small, well clothed with hairs ; those on the inner side are chiefly yellow ; externally, on the fore part they are brown, and posteriorly whitish. The feet are of a flesh-colour, and furnished above with white hairs ; the tarsi are but sparingly provided with minute hairs on the upper side, and are naked beneath : they are of unusually large size. The fore feet are of moderate * size, and furnished with a very large carpal tubercle. The tail is very nearly double the length of the body, if the latter be measured in a straight line ; it is of a brownish flesh-colour above, paler beneath, and sparingly furnished with minute bristly hairs ; those on the upper surface being brown, and on the under side white. The hairs of the moustaches are long, of a black colour, and grayish at the apex. Length from nose to root of tail of tail from nose to ear Habitat, Chile. In. Lines. . 3 9 Length of tarsus (claws included) . . 5 3 of ear ... . 0 10$ In. Lines. . 1 1 . 0 4> * As I shall have occasion to use the terms moderate , long , short, large, &c. it may be well to state that I take the common mouse, ( Mus Musculus,) as my standard of comparison. The ears, feet, tail, length of the fur, general proportions, &c. are in that animal what I term moderate. 40 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. The most conspicuous characters of the present species consist in the im- mense length of the tail, and the great size of the hinder feet. * It is about equal in size to Mus Musculus ; its form, however, is somewhat stouter; in colour it is much paler and brighter. The head is larger in proportion ; the ears are smaller, and more densely clothed with hair ; the fore feet are rather larger, and the fleshy tubercle on the under side of the wrist is also larger. The thumb nail is flattened, and rounded at the tip, as in Mus Musculus, but is longer, and more distinct than in that animal. The skull of M. longicaudatus, (Plate 34, Fig. ],) is considerably larger than that of the common mouse, but in form scarcely differs from it; its upper surface is rather more convex, and the interparietal bone proportionately less. The length of the skull is 1 inch ; breadth, 6^ lines ; distance between the fore part of the incisor, and the first molar of the upper jaw, 3^ lines. The dentition is figured in Plate 34, Figs. 1. b and 1. c. The above account is drawn up from the same specimen as that from which Mr. Bennett took his description, and which was brought from Chile by Mr. Cum- ing, who states that the animal in question lives in trees, and constructs its nest with grass. In Mr. Darwin’s collection, I find an animal which agrees in all the more im- portant characters with the one above described, but differs in being of a deeper colour, (approaching more nearly, in this respect, to the common mouse,) and in having the tail a trifle shorter. The skull is about § of a line shorter, but its proportions agree precisely : the proportions of the feet, and the general form of the animal, also agree. This specimen is likewise from Chile, (Lat 37° 40',) and, accord- ing to Mr. Darwin, “ overran the wooded country south of Concepcion, in swarms of infinite numbers. Captain FitzRoy, on his return from visiting the wreck of H. M. S. Challenger, had the kindness to bring me this specimen. So destruc- tive was this little animal, that it even gnawed through the paper of the cartridges belonging to the people who were wrecked.” — D. * A long tarsus is generally accompanied by a proportionately long tail. I presume that those Mice which have long tarsi are in the habit of making great leaps, and that in these leaps, the tail serves to steady and balance the body. JidayjybWMjkoo. \Pl 42. fomcMulaMs. MAMMALIA. 41 MUS ELEGANS. Plate XII. Mus elegans, Waterh ., Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London for February 1837, p. 19. Eligmodontia typus, F. Cuvier , Annales des Sciences Naturelles for March 1837. Tom. 7- p. 169. PI. 5. M. supra flavus, vellere pilis fuscescentibus adsperso, his ad latera, et prope oculos rarioribus ; pilis pone aurem utramque, labiis, corpore subtiis, pedibusque niveis ; auribus magnis ; caudd capite corporeque paulo longiore ; tarsis longis subtiis pilis obsilis. Description. — Fur very long and soft ; general colour of the upper parts of the body pale brownish yellow ; the lower portion of the cheeks, and the under parts of the body pure white : the hairs of the ordinary fur of the back are gray at the base, pale ochre near the apex, and brown at the apex ; the longer hairs are brownish. On the sides of the body where the longer hairs are less numerous, the pale ochre colour prevails ; the hairs on this part as on the back are deep gray at the base, but at a short distance from the apex they are white ; nearer the tip shaded into yellow, and at the tip brownish : the limbs externally are of a pale yellow colour. The hairs of the throat and chest are pure white to the root, those on the belly are obscurely tinted with gray at the root. The feet are of a pale flesh-colour, and furnished with white hairs ; the fore feet are of moderate size ; the thumb nail is small and rounded, and the carpal tubercle is covered with hairs ; the tarsi are long, and the white hairs extend over the whole of the under parts ; the under side of the toes, however, are but sparingly furnished. There appears to be but one large tubercle on the under side of the tarsus, and this, which is situated near the base of the toes, is thickly covered with silvery-white hairs. The tail is long, pale brown above, and pale flesh-colour beneath ; above, it is furnished with minute brown hairs, and on the under side with white hairs. The ears are rather large, of a pale flesh colour, tolerably well clothed with hairs, which are of a pale yellow colour on the inner side, and white on the outer side — excepting on the fore part, where they are brown. A small tuft of white hairs springs from the base of the ear posteriorly. The hairs of the moustaches are moderate ; black at the base, and grayish at the apex. G 42 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. Length from nose to root of tail of tail from nose to ear In. Lines. . 3 7 Length of tarsus . 3 9 of ear . 1 0 Habitat, Bahia Blanca, ( September .) In. Lines. . 0 10 . 0 6 Upon comparing the skull (PI. 34, fig. 2, a .) of M. elegans with that of M. Musculus , the most evident points of distinction consist in the greater proportionate length of the nasal and frontal bones, and the slenderness of the zygomatic arch in the former animal. Length of skull 11 lines, width 6 lines, distance between front molar and outer side of incisors of upper jaw 3| lines, length of nasal bones 4§ lines. The dentition is figured in PI. 34, figs. 2. b, and 2. c. “ Whilst bivouacking one night on shore, amongst some sand hillocks, this mouse, with its tail singed, leapt out of a bush which was placed on the fire. Its hind legs appeared long in proportion to the front, and it did not appear to be very active in endeavouring to make its escape.” — D. Mus elegans is about equal in size to M. Musculus; the head is larger in proportion than in the latter, the ears are slightly larger, the tail is longer, and so are the tarsi. The large ears, long tail, and comparatively large size of the feet, combined with the greater size of the animal itself, will render it easy to distinguish this species from M. gracilipes and M. bimaculatus. From the last mentioned animal it moreover differs in having the head larger in proportion, the fur longer, and the colouring of the upper parts of the body somewhat darker. The white fur is almost confined to the under parts of the body, and there is but a small tuft of white hairs behind the ears, whereas in M. bimaculatus, the white fur extends considerably on the sides of the body, the outer side of the limbs are white, and there is a large and conspicuous white spot behind each ear. In M. elegans the whole sole of the tarsus and the carpal tubercles are covered with hair. In Mus bimaculatus the hinder half of the tarsus only is covered with hair, and in M. gracilipes both the hinder half is covered, and there are some scattered hairs extending almost to the two tubercles, which are situated at the base of the longer toes. The genus Eligmodontia of M. F. Cuvier, founded upon a species of mouse frOm Buenos Ayres, possesses nearly the same characters as the subgenus Calomys, established by me in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society for February 1837, and which included the animal above described, and two other species {M. bimaculatus and M. gracilipes ). M. Cuvier’s genus is distinguished by there being only one large tubercle on the under side of the tarsus, and in having the carpal pad covered with hair as well as the pad of the tarsus. In MAMMALIA. 43 these characters our present animal agrees, as it does also in size and in the relative proportions of the tail and tarsus, circumstances which induce me to believe they are identical. In M. bimaculatus and M. gracilipes there are six naked tubercles on the under side of the tarsus, and the carpal pad is also naked. In having, however, the tarsus hairy beneath,* in dentition and in colouring, they agree so closely with M. elegans that I think they cannot be separated generically. MUS BIMACULATUS. Plate XII. Mus bimaculatus, Waterh., Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London for February 1837, p. 18. M. vellere pallide ochraceo, pilis nigricantibus adsperso, his ad latera rarioribus ; rostri lateribus, nota magna pone aurem utramque, artubus, corporeque subtus niveis ; auribus mediocribus ; caudd, quoad longitudinem, corpus fere cequante ; tarsis ad calc cm pilis argenteo-canclidis obsitis. Description. — Upper parts of the body of a very pale ochre colour, the longer hairs, however, are black, and at the apex grayish, and where they are numerous, as on the back and upper surface of the head, they give greater depth to the colouring ; the cheeks and sides of the body are of an almost uniform pale, but bright yellow ; the sides of the muzzle, the lower half of the cheeks, the lower portion also of the sides of the body, and the whole of the under parts, are pure white — each hair being uniform in colour to the root, and not, as is usually the case, gray at the root. There is likewise a large patch of pure white hairs behind each ear. The feet and tail are of a pale flesh-colour, and furnished with white hairs, with the exception of those on the upper surface of the latter, which are pale brown. The ears are also pale flesh-colour, clothed internally with yellow hairs ; externally on the fore part, the hairs are brownish, and on the hinder part, white — they are rather large, and so are the feet. The tail is about equal to the body in length. The hairs of the moustaches are numerous and slender, and most of them are black at the base, and gray at the apex. The hinder half of the tarsus * In Mus leucopus of North America the tarsus is hairy beneath, and in the character of the teeth this animal also agrees with the species above mentioned. G 2 44 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. beneath is covered with minute silvery- white hairs ; beside the ordinary tubercles, the anterior portion of the sole of the foot and the base of the toes beneath, are crowded with small rounded warts, which are much more nume- rous and conspicuous than in the common mouse. Length from nose to root of tail of tail .... from nose to eye In. Lines. . 3 1 . 1 11 • 0 Length from nose to base of ear of tarsus (claws included) . of ear In. Lines. 0 8f 0 S 0 4^ Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, {June.) The skull of this animal, is rather shorter and broader than that of Mus Musculus, the upper surface is more arched, the zygomatic arch is much more slender, and the nasal bones are rather broader. In the convexity of the upper surface, and the slenderness of the zygomatic arch, this skull very nearly resem- bles that of M. gracilipes ; this latter, however, has the zygomatic arch more convex, projecting more suddenly on the anterior part, and the interparietal bone smaller. Length of skull 10 lines, width 5^, length of nasal bones 4 lines, distance between the outer side of the incisors, of the upper jaw, and the first molar lines. See Plate 34, fig. 3. a. The dentition is figured in Plate 34, figs. 3. b and c. This mouse is rather less than M. Musculus, the tail is much shorter in pro- portion, the fur is longer and softer, and the ears are more distinctly clothed with hair. The pale and delicate yellow colour of the upper parts of the body, and the pure white of the under parts, renders the present species conspicuous amongst its congeners. I may further remark that the white colour which in the Muridse (when it occurs) is usually confined to the under part of the body, or extends but slightly on the sides, is in the present animal extended considerably on the sides of the body, and occupies an equal portion with the yellow of the upper parts. The name bimaculatus is applied to this animal on account of the two conspicuous white patches, which are situated behind the ears. In affinity as well as in appearance it most nearly approaches to Mus gracilipes and M. elegans ; with no other species of the genus Mus, here described, can it be confounded, since these only have the tarsus hairy beneath. The principal points of distinction between the present animal and Mus elegans , are noticed in the account of that species. “ This mouse, when alive, had a very elegant appearance. A countryman, who brought it me, found six of them living together in one burrow.” — D. MAMMALIA. 45 MUS GRACILIPES. Plate XI. Mus gracilipes, Waterh ., Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, for February 1837, p. 19. M. supra Jiavo-lavatus ; pilis pone aurem utramque , labiis, corporeque subtiis, albis ; peclibus parvulis , gracilibus, carneis, supra et ad calcem pilis albis tectis ; caudd gracili, pilis albis instructd, quoad longitudinem corpus fere cequante ; auribus mediocribus ; vellere mediocri et molli, pilis omnibus ad basin plumbeis. Description. — General colour very pale yellowish brown, a tint produced by the admixture of black and pale fawn colour ; the hairs of the ordinary fur being of the latter tint near the apex, and dusky at the apex, whilst the longer hairs are black. The feet, tail, under parts of the body and the sides of the muzzle, are pure white. All the hairs of the body, (which are soft, and of moderate length), are deep gray at the base. The ears are of moderate size, well clothed with hairs, of which those on the inner side are yellowish, and those on the outer, are brown on the anterior part, and white on the posterior. A small tuft of white hairs springs from the neck immediately behind the ears ; this tuft is hidden when the ears are folded back. The tail is slender and short, (being not quite equal to the body in length) of a pale flesh-colour, and sparingly furnished with minute white hairs. The feet are very small and slender, and the naked parts are of a pale flesh-colour. The sole of the foot is covered with hairs ; the toes beneath, and the tubercles (which are as in Mus Musculus ), however, are naked. The hairs of the moustaches are of moderate length, and of a blackish colour, some of them, however, are grayish white. In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail . .2 10 of tail . . . . .17 from nose to eye . . 0 4^ Habitat, Bahia Blanca, ( September .) This species slightly exceeds the harvest mouse ( Mus messorius ) in size, its ears are considerably larger in proportion, and the tail is shorter. Compared with the common mouse ( Mus Musculus ) it is smaller, the tail is more slender, and shorter, and the feet are likewise more slender and proportionately much smaller ; the ears are more distinctly clothed with hairs. Length from nose to ear of tarsus (claws included) of ear In. Lines. 0 8i o e$ o 44 46 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. The principal points of distinction between this and the two preceding species are pointed out in the account of M. elegans. Upon comparing the skull of M. gracilipes (PL 34, fig. 4. a.) with that of Mus Musculus, the most striking differences consist in its shorter and broader form, the upper surface being more arched, the interparietal bone has a relatively smaller antero-posterior diameter, the occipital region is more convex, and continued more gently and gradually into the upper region of the skull. The zygomatic arch, which is unusually slender, is more dilated (especially on the anterior part) thus giving a squareness to the general form. The nasal bones are not so much attenuated posteriorly. The length of the skull is 8| lines, the greatest width is lines, and the distance between the outer side of the incisors and the front molar is 2| lines. The dentition is figured in Plate 34, figs. 4. b and 4. c. “This specimen was given me by Mr. Bynoe, the surgeon of the Beagle, who caught it amongst some long dry grass.” — D. MUS FLAVESCENS. Plate XIII Mus flavescens, Waterh., Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, for February 1837, p. 19. M. supra colore cinnamomeo , lateribus capitis, corporisque, cequb ac pectore, auratis ; gula abdomineque jlavescenti-albis : pedibus sordide albis : auribus mediocribus rotundatis, pilis Jlavis obsitis : caadd, corpore, capiteque longiore, supra fused, subtus sordide alba : tarsis longis. Description. — Fur long and moderately soft ; general colour of the upper parts bright brownish yellow ; on the sides of the head and body bright yellow ; towards the rump of a deeper hue, and inclining to orange ; under parts pale yellow, or yellow-white ; chest yellow. The fur both of the upper and under parts of the body deep plumbeous at the base. Feet flesh colour, covered above with white hairs : tarsi long, naked beneath. Ears small, tolerably well clothed with hairs ; those on the inner side yellow, but many of them blackish at the base ; on the outer side, the hairs are blackish on the fore part and yellow on the hinder part. The hairs of the ordinary fur of the back are of a deep rich yellow colour at the tip, and the longer hairs are blackish. The tail is long, deep brown above and whitish beneath ; the hairs of the IfammaZoa/ 1*1 43. t /Mu*s fZawejce'Tbs . ■