I30 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 69 



DASYPROCTA CALLIDA Bangs 



San Miguel Island Agouti 



Dasyprocta callida Bangs, Amer. Nat., Vol. 35, p. 635, August, 1901. Type 

 from San Miguel Island, Panama. 



The San Miguel Island agouti is easily distinguished from the 

 mainland forms of the group by its much paler coloration. It is 

 most like D. punctata dariensis with which it agrees in the whitish 

 tips and lack of basal annulations of the long hairs on the rump. 



The species is based on a series of specimens taken by W. W. 

 Brown, Jr., during a visit to the island in the spring of 1900. In 

 connection with the original description Mr. Bangs details the col- 

 lector's experience with the animal as follows : " The six specimens 

 were all shot by Mr. Brown among mangroves, the leaves of which 

 they are very fond of. The animal is much hunted by the negro 

 pearl divers, and is exceedingly shy and wary, and for some time 

 Mr. Brown was unable to secure one. One day during a storm he 

 noticed that when a mangrove blew over it was at once stripped of its 

 leaves by the agoutis. Acting upon a plan that this habit of the 

 animal suggested to him, he took several large stones with him, and 

 concealed himself in a tree. After a little he sent a stone crashing 

 through the mangroves and presently saw an agouti cautiously 

 approach the spot, thinking a mangrove had fallen over. The first 

 day he shot two specimens in this way, and afterwards four more." 



Specimens examined : San Miguel Island, 6. 



DASYPROCTA COIEM Thomas 



Coiba Island Agouti 



Dasyprocta coibae Thomas, Novitat. Zoological, Vol. 9, p. 136, April 10, 1902. 

 Type from Coiba Island, Panama. 



The Coiba Island agouti is very similar in color to D. p. isthmica 

 and the rump hairs are rather distinctly barred to near base. But the 

 skull is decidedly shorter, although similarly massive ; the molari- 

 f orm teeth are smaller, the incisors shorter owing evidently to greater 

 wear, the beveled surface reaching to near the alveoli in both jaws 

 and suggesting feeding habits differing from those of the mainland 

 forms ; the audital bullae are smaller and the basioccipital correspond- 

 ingly broader. 



In the original account the animal is described as agreeing with 

 Dasyprocta punctata punctata in the annulation of the long hairs of 

 the rump, but in the longer orange tips of these hairs and in the color 

 of the body it is said to bear a closer resemblance to D. p. isthmica. 



