MAMMALS FROM WESTERN VENEZUELA AND 

 EASTERN COLOMBIA. 



BY WILFRED H. OSGOOD. 



The subjoined report comprises the more obvious results derived 

 from a study of the mammals recently collected in Venezuela and 

 Colombia by the writer and Mr. Stanley G. Jewett, assistant. Owing 

 to the relatively large amount of time necessarily spent in travel and 

 preparation, actual field work was limited to about 40 days, but in 

 that short time the rich fauna yielded 232 specimens of large and small 

 mammals and 462 birds. 



The birds have not yet been studied, but the percentage of novelty 

 and value among the mammals is worthy of remark as indicating in 

 slight degree the possibilities of South America as a field for zoological 

 exploration. The mammals obtained include 10 species and subspecies 

 new to science, some eight genera new to Field Museum, and three or 

 four genera for the first time brought to an American institution. 

 Practically all the species, known and unknown, were unrepresented 

 in our collections, and a considerable number were not to be seen out- 

 side of Europe. 



Of particular interest and value were the discovery of the habitat 

 and the acquirement of complete specimens of the extraordinary mar- 

 supial, C&nolestes. This was previously known only from imperfect 

 native-made skins with skulls or parts of skulls and is one of the extreme- 

 ly few mammals, perhaps the only one of superfamily rank, of which 

 the general anatomy and osteology are unknown. Study of the rela- 

 tionships of this animal and their numerous important bearings demands 

 more time than is at present available. It is therefore deferred for 

 adequate treatment in a later paper. 



Sailing from New York December 31, 1910, we reached Maracaibo, 

 Venezuela, via Porto Rico and Curacao, January 9, 1911. During the 

 delay before proceeding inland, a short trip was made from this point 

 to the opposite shore of Lake Maracaibo where we were guests of Sr. 

 Alberto Tinedo Velasco at his hato or ranch called El Panorama. Later 

 on January 28, we took a lake steamer and proceeded to the southern 

 end of the lake and thence up the Catatumbo River to the small settle- 



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