San Cristobal Whitetail 349 



THE COSTA RICA WHITETAIL 



[Maxaiu.i amer'icana iiemoraUs) 



This form appears to be very close to the preceding, but usually has a 

 minute metatarsal gland remaining, which shows scarcely any white and 

 is situated about midway up the hind cannon-bone. The general colour of 

 the coat is brown speckled with yellow. The antlers are branched, one 

 pair measuring 7.^ inches in length. The height of the animal at the 

 withers is about 27 inches. Two skins from Costa Rica in the British 

 Museum show a minute metatarsal gland on the hind-leg, but in one from 

 Honduras in the same collection, provisionally assigned to this form, the 

 gland is wanting. The range extends from Honduras to Panama. 



THE SAN CRISTOBAL WHITETAIL 



{Mazama amer'icana nelsoni) 



This form, which was described in 1898 by Dr. Merriam ^ as Odocoileus 

 nelsoni, appears to be very close to the Yucatan tolteca, but has apparently a 

 more aborted type of antlers, although retaining a minute metatarsal gland 

 and tuft. The type specimen came from San Cristobal, in the highlands 

 of Chiapas, Mexico. It is a medium-sized form, of a dark brownish grey 

 colour on the upper-parts, becoming blackish on the top ot the head and 

 along the middle line of the back, with the ears grizzled grey, and the tail 

 fulvous above and white below ; the under -parts being white. The 

 metatarsal gland is reduced to a small spot surrounded with a ring ot white 

 hairs about halt- way up the hind cannon-bone. In the second year, at 

 any rate, the antlers are small, simple spikes. The skull is described as 

 being like that oi tolteca {cicapulcensis), but with shorter nasal bones. 



' Proc. Biol. Soc. Wiiihington, vol. xii. p. 103 (1898). 



