56 ALLEN — AN EXTINCT CUBAN CAPROMYS 
extinct until after the discovery of America; but at all events the 
bones studied are well mineralized and seemingly much older in 
appearance than those of the introduced house rats, a few of which 
are present in the material brought back. Had this Capromys 
survived until Poey’s day, it is unlikely that Gundlach would have 
failed to discover it. 
