350 MR. E. R. ALSTON ON THE GENUS DASYPROCTA. [Apr. 4, 



(1823, descr. orig.) ; Wagner, Suppl. Schreb. Siiugeth. iv. p. 38; 

 Waterhouse, Mainm. ii. p. 387- 



Dasyprocta cauduta, Lund, K. Dausk. Vidensk. viii. p. 297 

 (1841, descr. oiig.). 



Fur ringed with black and yellow, nearly uniform throughout, 

 slightly darker on the back and often hoary on the rump ; the long 

 hairs ringed to the base; throat and breast pure yellow. Length 

 20 inches ; liind foot 3'30. 



Hab. S. Brazil, Paraguay, BoHvia. 



This is the most southern species of Agouti, replacing the more 

 northern iV. aguti in the province of St. Paulo, Brazil, where 

 Natterer found it in great numbers. If Wagner is right, however, 

 in uniting Lund's 1). caudata with the present species, its range 

 extends a little further north, into the Province of Minas Geraes. 

 Southwards it is found, according to Dr. Burmeister, throughout 

 southern Brazil and Paraguay, but does not extend beyond the Rio 

 de la Plata*. In Bolivia, Mr. Waterhouse says that it was found by 

 Mr. Bridges, near Santa Cruz de la Sierra, where it is called Iloche 

 Colorado by the inhabitants. 



As I hope to have another opportunity of figuring the Central- 

 American Agoutis, I have chosen this species, of which I am not 

 acquainted with any good representation, as the subject of the accom- 

 panying Plate (Plate XXIX.). 



7. D. PUNCTATA. 



Dasyprocta punctata. Gray, Ann. Nat. IJist. x. p. 264 (18-12, 

 descr. orig.), Voy. 'Sul[)hur,' p. 36, pi. xv. 



Fur ringed with black, and either bright rufous or yellow, uni- 

 form throughout, hairs of rump scarcely elongated, ringed to the 

 base; breast and lower parts also annulated, except a pale median 

 line on the abdomen. Length about 22 inches ; hind foot 4 inches. 



Hab. Guatemala, Costa Rica. 



Skins collected by Mr. Salvin in Guatemala differ much in ruddi- 

 ness, from a bright chestnut to a pale yellow. The latter agree 

 exactly with the types of Gray's B. punctata (from " Tropical 

 America "). They so much resemble J), azarce that one might be 

 inclined to follow Wagner and Waterhouse in uniting them, were it 

 not for the vast difference in their geographical positionf. Even the 

 pale examples of D. punctata may be always distinguished *from 

 the Brazilian form by the larger size, the still more uniform colora- 

 tion, and the annulation of the fur on the chest ; and I have never 

 seen a specimen of J), azarce which showed a trace of the rich ruddy 

 tints which seem to be normal in the Guatemalan form. The Society 

 has also received this species from Costa Rica. 



8. D. AGUTI. 



Mus aguti, Linnseus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 80 (1766, descr. orig.). 



» Thiers Brasil. p. 233. 



t Cf. Mr. Salvin's remarks on some analogous facts in the distribution of 

 birds (Ibis, 1872, pp. 147-152). 



