MAMMALS FROM WESTERN VENEZUELA AND 
EASTERN COLOMBIA. 
BY WILFRED H. OSGOOD. 
The subjoined report comprises the more obvious results derived 
from a study of the mammals recently collected in Venezuela and 
Colombia by the writer and Mr. Stanley G- Jewett, assistant. Owing 
to the relatively large amount of time necessarily spent in travel and 
preparation, actual field work was limited to about 40 days, but in 
that short time the rich fauna yielded 232 specimens of large and small 
mammals and 462 birds. 
The birds have not yet been studied, but the percentage of novelty 
and value among the mammals is worthy of remark as indicating in 
slight degree the possibilities of South America as a field for zodlogical 
exploration. The mammals obtained include 10 species and subspecies 
new to science, some eight genera new to Field Museum, and three or 
four genera for the first time brought to an American institution. 
Practically all the species, known and unknown, were unrepresented 
in our collections, and a considerable number were not to be seen out- 
side of Europe. 
Of particular interest and value were the discovery of the habitat 
and the acquirement of complete specimens of the extraordinary mar- 
supial, Cenolestes. This was previously known only from imperfect 
native-made skins with skulls or parts of skulls and is one of the extreme- 
ly few mammals, perhaps the only one of superfamily rank, of which 
the general anatomy and osteology are unknown. Study of the rela- 
tionships of this animal and their numerous important bearings demands 
more time than is at present available. It is therefore deferred for 
adequate treatment in a later paper. 
Sailing from New York December 31, 1910, we reached Maracaibo, 
Venezuela, via Porto Rico and Curagao, January 9, 1911. During the 
delay before proceeding inland, a short trip was made from this point 
to the opposite shore of Lake Maracaibo where we were guests of Sr. 
Alberto Tinedo Velasco at his kato or ranch called El Panorama. Later 
on January 28, we took a lake steamer and proceeded to the southern 
end of the lake and thence up the Catatumbo River to the small settle- 
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