LÖNNBERG, MAMMALS FROM ECUADOR AND RELATED FORMS. 19 



of »Memoirs of the Wernerian Natural History Society», Edin- 

 burgh 1821, p. 440, Pl. XXIII, a Tayra from Demerara. It 

 is called: »Vivera(\) poliocephalus(l). Grey-headed Weesel». 

 The plate as well as the description prove most satisfactorily 

 that it is a representative of the same race as the specimens 

 from Brit. Guiana described above. The following quotation 



elucidates this: »The hair of the whole trunk, the limbs 



and the tail, is of a glossy black. That on the tail is very full and 

 long; but the hair which covers the head and neck, is dull, and 

 of a dark iron-grey colour. The disposition of the hair on the 

 neck is rather peculiar. From behind the ears to the nape of 

 the neck, the hairs point upwards, forming a slight ridge». 

 This »ridge» is also well illustrated on the figure, and no doubt 

 is left as to the agreement with the specimens in British Museum. 



Allén (1. c.) has 1904 pleaded for that Guiana should be 

 considered »the type region of Tayra bärbara». The proofs for 

 such an assumption are, however, not very strong. Llnnjeus 

 says 1758, that his Mustela bärbara »Habitat in Brasilia». 

 The quotation of Brown's History of Jamaica is provided 

 with a sign of interrogation, proving Linnjeus' doubts concern- 

 ing the identity. But even if the animals which according to 

 Brown were »brought to Jamaica from the coasts of Guinea », 

 are regarded as types of the specific name bärbara s. str., it is 

 rather uncertain what they might have been according to our 

 present conception of this genus and its subspecies, because it 

 is quite possible that more than one subspecies was imported 

 to Jamaica. There is no proof that they came from Guiana, 

 or at least not only from that region. It appears therefore the 

 best proceeding to regard »Brasilia» in Systema Naturae 1758 

 as really meaning Brazil and perhaps more exactly Pernam- 

 buco, as is the case concerning several other mammals. 



Among the remaining Tayras in British Museum there is 

 one which is very different from the others and which I there- 

 fore venture to describe as new viz. 



Tayra bärbara madeirensis n. subsp. 



Type an old male from »Humaytha River. Madeira, Ama- 

 zonas», collected 25 Sept. 1906 by W. Hoffmann. (N:o 8. 5. 9. 

 17 in Brit. Mus.) A large, dark and short-haired animal. Very 



