126 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 69 



tidewater of San Miguel Bay. The spiny rat climbed with the same 

 facility a tree squirrel might have shown. Two specimens of this 

 apparently rare species collected by W. B. Richardson at Tapalisa 

 are recorded by Anthony (1916, p. 370). They were frightened 

 from a hollow tree by the collector and shot while running along 

 overhanging limbs from which they fell into the river. These adult 

 examples are more rusty reddish on the back than the type specimen 

 which was not fully grown. 



Specimens examined: Ancon, 1; Marraganti (type locality), 1; 

 Tapalisa, 2. 1 



Family DASYPROCTIDAE. Agoutis and Pacas 



With the exception of the capybara (Hydrochcerus) the agoutis 

 and pacas are the largest rodents inhabiting the region. The family 

 includes three genera of w T hich two, Dasyprocta and Cuniculus, range 

 northward through Middle America to southern Mexico. They are 

 terrestrial species with hoof-like claws, short ears and rudimentary 

 tails. The other genus, Myoprocta, with a short but well-formed 

 hairy external tail is restricted to South America. 



Genus DASYPROCTA Illiger. Agoutis 

 The members of this genus, commonly referred to in literature as 

 agoutis, are much more slenderly formed than the pacas of the genus 

 Cuniculus. They have narrow, rabbit-like heads and the hind feet 

 are provided with three instead of five toes as in the latter genus. 

 The pelage of the rump is considerably elongated. 



DASYPROCTA PUNCTATA ISTHMICA Alston 



Isthmian Agouti; Nequi 



Dasyprocta isthmica Alston, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1876, p. 347. Type 

 from Colon, Panama. 



The agoutis or " fiequis " as they are called by the natives are 

 common and well-known game animals of the region, much prized 

 for the quality of their flesh as food. Several closely related forms 

 of the Dasyprocta punctata group inhabit Middle America,, ranging 

 as a group as far north as southern Mexico, and southward into 

 South America. Dasyprocta punctata was originally described from 

 " South America," but according to Alston (1879, p. 172) the types 

 collected during the voyage of the " Sulphur " by Commanders 

 Belcher and Kellett are probably from the west coast of Costa Rica 



1 Collection Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 



