I5S SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 69 



Genus POTOS Geoffrey and Cuvier. Kinkajous 

 The kinkajous have short ears, short faces, rounded heads and 

 bear a remarkable external resemblance to Bassaricyon, but are 

 distinguishable by the round tapering, short-haired, prehensile tail. 

 The tail perhaps furnishes the most convenient differential char- 

 acters, but others are revealed by close inspection. The general color 

 and proportions are similar, but Potos is a larger, more robust 

 animal, and the face similar to the back in color ; in Bassaricyon the 

 face is grayish. The genus, a preeminently arboreal one, ranges 

 northward in ]\iiddle America to the tropical p'ortions of southern 

 IMexico. Two forms are represented in Panama. i 



POTOS FLAVUS ISTHMICUS Goldman 



Isthmian Kinkajou; Cusimbi 



[Plate 34, figs. 2, 20] 



Potos Aavus isthinicus Goldman, Smiths. Misc. Coll., Vol. 60, No. 22, 

 pp. 14-15, February 28, 1913. Tj'pe from near head of Rio Limon, Mount 

 Pirre, eastern Panama (altitude 5,200 feet). 



The Isthmian kinkajou is a rather common animal in the moun- 

 tains of eastern Panama, being replaced farther west by the Chiriqui 

 form of the group. Its known altitudinal range is from at least 

 1,000 feet on the slope to 5,200 feet near the summit of Mount Pirre. 

 Contrasted with P. f. chiriquoisis the present subspecies differs in * 

 the possession of a distinct black dorsal stripe ; the skull is narrower 

 interorbitally, the postorbital processes stouter, broader and more 

 gradually tapering toward the base, instead of peg-like. The 

 Isthmian race combines the color pattern of some of the South 

 American fonns with the heavier dentition of the Middle American 

 forms. 



The specimens obtained were all shot in trees at night, their eyes 

 appearing reddish in color under the glare of the hunting lamp. 

 Small parties or family groups are attracted by fruit and apparently 

 revisit the same trees to feed night after night. This habit seemed 

 to be shown by my meeting with them in the same vicinity on several 

 occasions, and fallen fragments of fruit seen early in the morning 

 indicated that frequent visits, presumably of these animals, were 

 made. On approaching trees in which they were working a squeak- 

 ing noise was commonly hoard, coupled more rarely with short 

 peculiar barks. 



Under the name Potos Haznis chiriquensis Anthony (1916. p. ^J2) 

 lists specimens from Tapalisa (altitude 1,000 feet), and Tacarcuna 



