THE NEOTROPICAL REGION 63 



world, but the third (Phyllostomatidse) is entirely confined 

 to this region. 1 



This family, which numbers among its members the 

 true Vampires or blood - sucking bats {Desmodus and 

 Diphylla), is a very considerable one, numbering at least 

 sixty species, distributed among thirty-three genera, which 

 are doubtless still to be supplemented by future discoveries. 



Finally, the Neotropical Region possesses two families of 

 Monkeys, the Marmosets {Hapalidse) and the Capuchins 

 (Cebidcv), neither of which is found elsewhere. More- 

 over, both these groups are distinguished from their Old 

 World allies by very important anatomical characters, 

 which render them absolutely distinct from the Old World 

 monkeys and apes. 



As a representative of this latter family we give a 

 figure of the Barrigudo Monkey (Lagothrix humboldti) of 

 Upper Amazonia (Fig. 12, p. 64) of which Mr. Bates has 

 written us an excellent account in his well - known 

 " Naturalist on the Amazons." 



Summarising these statements, we find that the Neo- 

 tropical Region is characterised by the exclusive possession 

 of no less than ten families of mammals, namely : — 



Bradypodidse (Sloths) ; Caviidae (Guinea-pi £ 



Myrmecophagidse (Ant-eaters) ; Solenodontidse (Solenodonts) ; 



Chinchillidae (Chinchillas) ; Phyllostomatidse (Vampire bats) ; 



Dasyproctidaa (Agoutis) ; Hapalidae (Marmosets) ; 



Dinomyidse (Dinomys) ; Cebidee (Capuchin monkeys) ; 



and by the presence of about 130 genera, of which about 

 103 are restricted to its boundaries. 



On the other hand, when we compare the fauna of the 



1 One species, Macrotus californicus, has wandered as far north as 

 California. 



