IX. THE MAMMALS OF THE ISLE OF PINES. 

 By W. J. Holland. 



The indigenous mammalian fauna of the Isle of Pines is extremely 

 limited. We have no means of knowing whether at the time of the 

 first colonization there existed on the island species which have now 

 become extinct. There is every reason to believe that in Cuba and 

 the other larger Antilles there survived until quite recently a number 

 of forms, the remains of which in a subfossil state have been discovered 

 in various localities. The only such deposit thus far found upon the 

 Isle of Pines was discovered by Mr. Link in a small cave near the 

 northeastern coast in a little hill at the foot of the Sierra Caballos. 

 These fragments partly encrusted with lime formed by drippings from 

 the roof of the cavern were cleansed by Mr. O. A. Peterson and at my 

 request he prepared a report upon them, which I insert after this 

 article. Four of the seven species enumerated by him are still living 

 upon the island, the other three are believed to be extinct. There 

 can be no doubt that from a geological standpoint the deposit on the 

 floor of the cave is quite recent, and assigning these remains the great- 

 est antiquity which may be attributed to them, they do not go further 

 back in time than the late Pleistocene. 



In the following list I leave out of account the mammals in domesti- 

 cation, which have been introduced by Europeans. 



Order SIRENIA (Sea-cows). 



Family MANATID^ Gray. 



Genus Manatus Briinnich. 



I. Manatus manatus (Linnaeus). 



The Manatee is known to occur in the lagoons about Siguanea Bay. 

 An effort to secure a license to take a specimen for the Museum was 

 made by Mr. Link, but was unsuccessful. 



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