NORTH AMERICA AND THE WEST INDIES 107 



JAMAICAN HUTIA; "INDIAN CONY"; BROWNE'S HUTIA 



GEOCAPROMYS BROWNII (J. B. Fischer) 

 Capromys brownii J. B. Fischer, Synopsis Mamm., Addenda, p. 389 [= 589], 1830 



("In Jamaica"). 

 SYNONYM: Capromys brachyurus Hill, in Gosse and Hill's Naturalist in Jamaica, p. 



471, 1857. 

 FIG.: Anthony, H. E., 1920a, p. 163 (photograph). 



This is the first of the short-tailed hutias to be described, 

 based by Fischer on the account of the "Large brown Indian 

 coney" in Patrick Browne's "Civil and natural history of 

 Jamaica," 1789. Originally placed in the same genus as the 

 long-tailed hutias of Cuba, it was later included in a separate 

 subgenus, Geocapromys Chapman, now regarded as a group of 

 generic rank. The characters of the genus in comparison with 

 Capromys have been defined by Miller (1929b), of which the 

 more important are: First lower cheek tooth with a small 

 additional reentrant of the enamel wall on the inner side of the 

 first space, making three instead of two indentations; upper 

 tooth rows convergent anteriorly, so that the bases of the two 

 premolars of opposite sides are in contact instead of widely 

 separated; root capsule of the upper incisors passing slightly 

 outside of and beyond the premolar instead of stopping in 

 contact with its base; bony bar in front of the eye nearly 

 vertical or sloping backward instead of forward. Externally, 

 it is distinguished by the very short tail. 



This hutia is about the size of a cottontail rabbit but more 

 stoutly built, with short legs and a stumpy tail. Above, the 

 color is a general dark brown, resulting from abundant parti- 

 colored hairs with dark-gray bases and ochraceous tips, mixed 

 with all-black hairs, which are most abundant in the middle of 

 the back. The lower surface is paler, with a buffy-gray throat 

 and lower belly, while the chest and upper part of the belly are 

 more thickly clothed with ochraceous-tipped hairs. The tail 

 and backs of the feet are nearly clear brown. The ears are very 

 short, rounded, and clothed with minute hairs. Total length, 

 425 mm.; tail, 50; hind foot, 60. 



This was doubtless a common species on Jamaica in former 

 times and was confined to that island. It formed an important 

 article of food for the aborigines as attested by the fact that its 

 bones were commonly found with ashes of their camp sites. 

 It is said that the name Indian cony is from this association. 



