. Five New Species of Cervus. 305 



from Chili, whicli one of us, M. I. Geoffroy St.Hilaire, regard 

 as the types of new genera. 



M. d'Orbigny conceives that we must cancel the two species 

 of Coendon, admitted by some mamnialogists, as their differ- 

 ences depend merely on the changes of their covering in sum- 

 mer and in winter. 



Among the ungulated animals, it is deserving of being re- 

 marked, that our traveller met with only one species of tapir ; 

 and that of the small humpiess camels of America, there are at 

 k-ast four distinct species, viz. the lama and the alpaca, which 

 are domesticated ; and the guanaco and the vigogna, which have 

 never been reduced to that state, and which refuse to couple 

 with tl>e two others. 



The genus Cervus has supplied him with five species.; one of 

 which {Cervus Antisensis, d'Orb.), from the eastern declivity of 

 the Cordillera, is entirely new, and remarkable for having hair 

 that can be broken like that of the musk-deer : also tlie elk, 

 which belongs to the division of deer properly so called ; be- 

 sides some others wanting to our collections, although long since 

 described by D'xVzara. 



With regard to the bovine tribe, using this word in its most 

 comprehensive sense, and extending it to all the ruminating 

 animals with horns, it is worthy of remark, that M. d'Orbigny 

 met with no speeits unknown to previous travellers. The genus 

 Uos, therefore, which is so rich in the Old World, and particularly 

 in Africa, is represented in America by three or four species 

 which do not range beyond the Gulf of Mexico. Our domes- 

 tic ox, and also the horse, having been transjxtrted to South 

 America shortly after its conquest, have propagated every where 

 in an astonishing manner, and constitute one of the sources of 

 the commercial wealth of the country. 



Finally, in the subclass of Didelphis, M. d'Orbigny has like- 

 wise collected some new species of opossum, from which it ap- 

 pears that this genus is found in all parts of the American 

 continent. 



Upon the whole, one of the commissioners, M. J. Geoff'roy Si 

 Hilaire, who, from his situation, is most familiar with themam- 

 •miferous animals, believes that he may estimate the number of 

 new species of niammiferac discovered by M. d'Orbigny at 



