_ 7 - 



responsible for this larp-e numlDer aB3. r;hen their relative 

 position in the constitution of the continental Tertiarjr 

 fatmas is considered, it i ^v^^e v^ '"'^•-^ their position in t>e 

 Bowden fauna is -uiisurpassed. A minor element in the tasodont 

 asi^emhlage is furnished by the seven species of the genus le.la . 

 a nunher which is, hov«ver, relatively high, in accordance v.'ith 

 the general consideration that the Antillean mid- Tertiary 

 faunas are moi-e populous in members of that genus than the ap- 

 proxir.iately equivalent fav: • '• -^ '-" ^-uii .i.^crican continent. 



3y ,f ar the most iraportant tasiodont is the genus Area , with 

 28 species, distributed am:ong 10 sectio..... Indeed, this remark- 

 able diversification is one of the salient features of the 

 famia and is not rivale'' among the continental faunas v/ith 

 which cosiTjarisons might be ^".ade , not even the rich Oa.loosahatchle 

 fauna being anite equal '.,i jn x-u^cix-' io uui;. cxc-ieiit. In the 

 midst of such marked efflorescence it is ■ that the 



Oui.earcas, which usually occupy a rtosition of importance in the 

 raid- Tertiary faunas of the Anti:'le-n region anrl its perimeters, 

 are represented by a single small form, and the Nogtias are en- 

 tirely absent. rhe Scapharcas are the most ab-tmdsnt, both indi- 

 vidually and specifically, b^it j^xl^ ui.i:^^^ oi. ^ue nii. cies 

 are unusiially prolific* In addition : o this numerical importance 

 the taxodonts G0'--r-:ani attention because of the presentation of 

 some imusual feat.-u-es, .jo tliat it ;jee;iiS advisable to propose 



