SOUTH AMERICA 415 



so that a good horse is necessary to overtake one. The natives 

 sometimes capture them with the bolas. In parts of Brazil the 

 animal goes by the native name of "guazuti," and in Uruguay 

 it is known as "gama." 



According to Lydekker (1901) it has completely disappeared 

 from many districts of Argentina and Uruguay. As long ago 

 as 1894, Aplin (1894) wrote that in the neighborhood of Santa 

 Elena, Uruguay, it had been exterminated except for a small 

 herd of about a dozen does and seven bucks preserved in a 

 certain district. He found it rare on the Rio Negro, but in 

 some other areas it was still common. Sanborn (1929) in 

 1926-27 found it plentiful in one locality in Rocha, Uruguay, 

 but in most other places rare, and this is corroborated by 

 Devincenzi (1935), who speaks of Rocha as the district where 

 it is now to be found, although 30 years before it was abundant 

 in the whole country. 



Dr. Roberto Dabbene, in a letter to Dr. Francis Harper in 

 1937, stated that though formerly common in the northern 

 and central regions of Argentina as far as northern Patagonia, 

 it is now very scarce as far as the Chaco, and if not protected 

 adequately is certain to disappear from the Argentine fauna. 

 He deplores the introduction of exotic deer into the national 

 parks, rather than the encouragement of the native species. 



While further and more precise information on the present 

 and past status of this species is much needed, it is evident 

 that it is much reduced in many districts and requires careful 

 protection. In Argentina hunting this species was prohibited 

 by presidential decree several years ago. 



MARSH DEER; "VEADO GALHEIRO GRANDE"; "GuAzupuco" 

 BLASTOCERUS DICHOTOMUS (Illiger) 



Cervus dichotomies Illiger, Abh. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, for 1811, pp. 108, 117, 1815 



(Brazil). 

 SYNONYMS: Cervus paludosus Desmarest, Mammalogie, pt. 2, p. 443, 1822; Cervus 



palustris Desmoulins, Diet. Classique Hist. Nat., vol. 3, p. 379, 1823. 

 FIGS.: Lydekker, 1898, pp. 284, 285 (antlers, animals). 



This is the largest South American deer, attaining about the 

 size of the British red deer, but more slenderly built, standing 

 about 46 inches at the shoulder (Azara). "General colour in 

 summer bright rufous chestnut, in winter brownish red, becom- 

 ing lighter on flanks, neck, and chest; legs black from knees 



