1904.] Allen, Mammals from Santa Marta, Colombia. 43 * 



noise made ; though such heavy animals they can run rapidly 

 even where the growth is tangled. Tapirs see badly, at least 

 during the day, but they are very keen-scented. 



"The female tapir has, generally at least, only one young 

 at a birth. The animals are much hunted for their meat, 

 which is excellent, much like beef. In southern Brazil and 

 Argentina the hide is greatly prized for lariats, halters, and 

 other works requiring great strength; it is thick, white, and 

 very strong, and competent judges pronounce it almost equal 

 to hippopotamus hide. In Colombia little use is made of it. 

 As tapirs are easily domesticated, and will feed about a house 

 like swine, it would probably pay well to breed them. 



"All the hunters near Santa Marta aver that there is a tapir, 

 found in the mountain forest, which, in general color, resem- 

 bles T. americanus, but has a broad white mark over the 

 shoulders. This information was given without any leading 

 questions, and the hunters knew nothing about the Malay 

 tapir, which by their description this one resembles. . . . 

 I can hardly refuse to believe these reiterated and sober state- 

 ments, made by my men who had no motive for inventing the 

 story, and who would be incapable of inventing a new species 

 so much like the eastern form. I offered a large reward for a 

 specimen, but failed to obtain one, and can only give the 

 story as I heard it. It seems probable that this region has an 

 undescribed tapir, which differs in color from all the known 

 American species, and resembles that of the Malay Islands." 

 H. H. S. 



16. Sciurus saltuensis (Bangs). 



Sciurus variabilis saltuensis BANGS, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, XI, 

 1898, 185. Nov. 16, 1898. Pueblo Viejo, Colombia (alt. 8000 ft.) 



Six specimens: Valparaiso, 4, May 24-31 and June 13; 

 Sierra El Libano, i, May 24; Don Diego, i, May 8. Four of 

 these are very dark, quite unlike the coast form (5. saltuensis 

 bond), and seem to typically represent the mountain form 

 named saltuensis by Mr. Bangs. The fifth specimen is quite 

 like examples in corresponding pelage from the coast region. 



" Common, ranging from sea-level to 6000 feet or higher. 



