68 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 69 



CABASSOUS CENTRALIS (Miller) 



Central American Five-toed Armadillo 



Tatoua (Ziphtla) centralis Miller, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, Vol. 13, 

 p. 4, January 31, 1899. Type from Chamelicon, Honduras. 



Aside from the differing number of toes on the fore foot, as com- 

 pared with Dasypus c. fenestratus in Panama, the Central American 

 five-toed armadillo is easily recognized by the great size and sickle- 

 like shape of the middle claw. 



At Gatun I was shown the bony covering of a Cabassous which I 

 took to be of this species. It had been removed from the body and 

 rolled together so that when dry it formed a crude basket. The 

 animal was shot at night near Mindi (between Gatun and Colon) by 

 an American who located it by the light of a hunting lamp. The 

 species is said to be rare in Panama, and few examples have been 

 taken in any part of Middle America. In Costa Rica it is known as 

 " Armado de zopilote " owing to its disagreeable odor, which is 

 likened to that of the black vulture {Catharisfa iiriihii). 



Specimens examined : Gatun, i . 



Order SIRENIA. Sirenians 



Family TRICHECHIDAE. Manatees 



The manatees are a peculiar group of aquatic mammals inhabiting 

 the delta regions along the Atlantic side of Middle America, northern 

 South America, and western Africa. 



Genus TRICHECHUS Linnaeus. Manatees 

 The genus Trichechus includes a manatee which has been reported 

 from the northern coasts of Panama. The manatee is remarkable 

 for the absence of the posterior pair of limbs, the reduction of the 

 anterior pair to paddles, and the transverse expansion of the rudder- 

 like tail. 



TRICHECHUS MANATUS Linnaeus 

 Manatee 



Trichechus manatus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, Vol. i, p. 34, 1758. Type 

 from West Indies.* 



A manatee, doubtfully referable to this species, still inhabits the 

 Chiriqui Lagoon region where it was noted by Dampier (1698, 

 pp. 33-37) on the "coasts of Bocca del Drago " (Boca del Drago) 

 and " Bocco del Toro " (Bocas del Toro). Dr. R. E. B. McKenney, 



* Locality fixed by Thomas, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, March, 1911, p. 120. 



