ALLEN : MAMMALIA : CAVIIDyE. 



29 



General color above dark gray, passing into black on the lower back 

 and rump, forming a large black patch which extends laterally to the 

 loins ; thighs crossed by a broad band of white ; ventral surface with a 

 broad median band of yellowish white, occupying the middle of the throat, 

 and the median ventral area from the posterior border of the pectoral 

 region to the tail ; pectoral and prepectoral areas dull ochraceous, which 

 color also forms a broad lateral line from the cheeks to the loins, gradu- 

 ally passing into the gray of the upper parts ; ears gray, thinly haired, the 

 tips fringed with long rusty brown hairs, and the anterior base fulvous, 

 joining a broad postocular patch of ochraceous brown ; a narrow yellowish 

 brown eye-ring, the lids and the long eyelashes black, as are also the 

 whiskers ; front and sides of nose pale yellowish ; fore limbs externally 

 gray, varied with black, passing into black on the feet ; inside of fore limbs 

 ochraceous buff; hind limbs pale yellowish gray proximally, passing first 

 into fawn, and then into yellowish gray on the proximal half of the tarsus, 

 mixed with black on the apical portion, and the toes black ; inner surface 

 of hind limbs pale fulvous ; toe pads and tarsal callosity black ; rest of 

 under surface of hind feet heavily clothed with rusty fulvous hairs. 



There are no flesh measurements but a well made skin gives the fol- 

 lowing : Total length, 620 mm.; tail, 12 ; hind foot, 143; ear from notch, 63. 



The Patagonian Cavy is represented by a single specimen (skin and 

 the complete skeleton), collected by Mr. J. B. Hatcher at the mouth of 

 the Rio Chico, February 10, 1899. He makes, however, no reference to 

 the species in his "Narrative." This locality appears to form its known 

 southern limit of distribution. It is an animal of the arid plains, and its 

 habits have been well described by Darwin and later writers. It lives in 

 burrows, but feeds and roams about by day, wandering, according to 

 Darwin, miles from its burrow, in little parties of two and three, and is shy 

 and watchful. It brings forth two young at a birth, which are produced 

 within the burrow. Its range appears to extend from about latitude 30° 

 to latitude 50° south, wherever the country is favorable to its needs. 



The Patagonian Cavy was first formally made known by Pennant in 

 1 78 1, from a specimen in the Leverian Museum collected by Sir John 

 Narborough near Port Desire, in Patagonia. Sir John refers to it as a 

 "Hare" and says: "... they are shaped like English hares, and much 

 larger, and instead of a tail have a little stub about an inch long, without 

 hair on it ; they have holes in the ground like Coneys." 



