Desmarest on Capromys. 81 



Art. XII. — Abstract of a " Memoir on a new genus of 

 the order JRodentia, named Capromys." By M. G. A . 



DESMAftEiT.* 



The animal which forms the subject of this paper is a native of 

 the island of Cuba, from whence two male specimens were brought 

 alive by M. Marcellin Fournier, who presented them to the 

 author. It is known there by the name of XJtia^ and is with 

 much probability supposed to be the same animal described under 

 that name by Boraare, Oviedo, and other authors. The refer- 

 ences to Aldrovandus, Dutertre, &c. are not calculated to throw 

 any light upon the subject, and we therefore pass them over. 

 Bomare observes that " the Utias is a species of rabbit of the size 

 of a rat, which inhabits the West Indies, and which is hunted at 

 night, by the light of a luminous iusect, named Acadia^ (doubt- 

 less Elater Noclilucus, of which M. Fournier brought large quan- 

 tities from Cuba.) M. Desmarest imagines it to be also the " Mus 

 maximus, pullus, cauda oblonga, pilosu, dorso subsetoso" of 

 Brown. 



The head is rather long, compressed laterally, and the forehead 

 very slightly arched. The tip of the snout is truncate, higher than it 

 is wide, at the upper part of which are situated the nostrils, which 

 are very open, oblique, wider, and nearer to each other below 

 than at the upper part ; their circumference externally and above 

 has a distinct thickened border, and the interval between them is 

 marked by a medial longitudinal furrow, which terminates below 

 in the bifurcation of the upper lip. 



The mouth is moderately open ; the lower lip somewhat thick- 

 ened, transverse, and not pointed, as in most of the Rodentia. 



The upper incisores are not very strong, transversely truncate at 

 the extremity, and not furrowed on the anterior surface ; the lower 

 are only slightly subulate and very similar to the upper; the 

 former are yellowish, the others white. 



* Translated from the " Memoires de la Societe d'Histoire naturelle de 

 Paris," by Thomas Bell, Esq. F. L. S. 



Vol. I. f 



