80 NORTH AMERICAN FAUXA 60, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



Remarks. — Dr. Glover M. Allen (1911, p. 221) recorded the occur- 

 rence of raccoons in Barbados and referred to Griffith Hughes (1750, 

 p. 66) who, writing in the middle of the IStfi century, mentioned a 

 law of the Island providing a bounty for their destruction. In the 

 absence of specimens for study the animal was tentatively referred 

 by Allen to "Procyon (?) cancrivorus G. Cuvier." Subsequent efforts 

 by him to obtain representatives resulted in the collection, in 1920, 

 of the young individual later made the type of a new species bearing 

 his name. 



The type specimen was so young when collected that the permanent 

 premolars and canines, although well advanced, are not in full func- 

 tional position. In the type the first premolars, both deciduous and 

 permanent, are absent in both jaws, an abnormality observed else- 

 where only in the large-toothed form P. I. litoreus, inhabiting Saint 

 Simon Island, Ga. Since the original description was published 

 two specimens, in the exhibit collection of the United States National 

 Museum, taken by the Reverend Barnett about 1867 have attracted 

 attention and have been dismounted. The skulls show full maturity. 

 One specimen. No. 267380, had been marked female, and the other, 

 No. 267381, slightly smaller, is probably of the same sex. The 

 molariform teeth are rather large, but not so large as in the type. 

 In the upper carnassial a tendency toward equal to or greater length 

 than width of the crown is exhibited, a condition sometimes presented 

 in P. I. purnUus of Panama. In the broad frontal region and well- 

 developed postorbital processes the relationship of (iloveralleni to the 

 raccoons of Central America is also suggested, but it differs widely in 

 other respects. 



Raccoons, formerly abundant, and said to favor a rugged region 

 on the south side of the island, have apparently been reduced to or 

 near extermination. In response to a formal inquiry the American 

 Consul, Frederick W. Baldwin, wrote July 13, 1932: "Very few rac- 

 coons now exist in Barbados and specimens would be extremely 

 difficult to obtain." 



Specimens examined. — Three, all from the type locality. 



Subgenus EUPROCYON Gray 



[References under Genus Procyon Storr, p. 25] 



Distribution. — Southern Costa Rica, western Panama, and northern 

 Colombia to southern Brazil. 



Subgeneric characters. — Contrasted with subgenus Procyon : Pelage 

 shorter, underfur absent; hair on nape directed forward; claws broader, 

 less compressed laterally, of lesser vertical diameter at base, and more 

 bluntly pointed. Bony palate extending behind jjosterior molars a 

 distance less than one-fourth total length of palate. Molariform 



