No. 5. — Vertchrata from Yucatan. 

 CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



1. Introduction. By Leon J. Cole 101 



2. Mammalia. By Glover M. Allen 106 



3. Aves. By Leon J. Cole 109 



4. Reptilia, Amphibia, and Pisces. By Thomas Barbour and Leon J. Cole . 146 



1. INTRODUCTION By Leon J. Cole. 



The following papers upon the vertebrates of Yucatan are based upon 

 collections and notes made by the writer during a visit to that country 

 in the early part of 1904. In addition there have been included several 

 smaller collections from other sources. The trip was made, through the 

 generosity of !Mr. Alexander Agassiz, in the interest of the Museum of 

 Comparative Zoology. Its primary object was a study of the animal life of 

 certain deep water-holes, or cenotes, in the vicinity of the ancient ruined 

 city of Chichen-Itza. The present papers, however, deal almost entirely 

 with collections made independently of that work, since the vetebrate 

 fauna properly belonging to the cenotes is very small, comprising only 

 three or four species of fish, two or three anurans that lay their eggs in 

 the water, and a single species of turtle. Iguanas and other lizards, it is 

 true, find convenient habitations in the rocky walls, while the presence 

 of an abundant supply of water, together with the more luxuriant foli- 

 age, attracts to the vicinity numerous birds and other animals which are 

 scattered throughout the forests. 



By far the larger part of the collections were made at Chichen-Itza, 

 but some collecting was also done at other places, notably at Progreso. 

 All of the fishes, with the exception of three species, are from the latter 

 locality. In reporting upon the birds, the list for Chichen-Itza has been 

 kept separate, but in the case of the other groups all the specimens 

 obtained have been listed together. 



A brief notice of the itinerary may be of interest as showing the 

 periods spent at the different places. The places mentioned are indicated 

 upon the accompanying sketch map of northern Yucatan. 



