614 Original Articles. [Oct., 



adjoining countries of South America, but not, as far as I know, found 

 to the north of the Isthmus of Panama. Mustela and Galictis are the 

 only two forms of Neotropical Mustelinse. Of the Otters (Lutrince), 

 which form a second well-marked division of the same family, dis- 

 tinguished by their aquatic habits no less than by their peculiar struc- 

 ture, several distinct species occur in South America. In Chili the 

 Lutra chilensis is " exceedingly common among the numerous islands 

 and bays which form the Chonos Archipelago." This otter by no 

 means confines itself to fish, having been observed by Mr. Darwin to 

 prey on volutes, cuttle-fish, and crabs. In Brazil the Lutra brasiliensis 

 inhabits the river banks after the manner of our well-known European 

 species. 



The sub-family Melinae, typified by our European Badger, includes 

 the Skunks of the New World (Mephitis), so notorious for the suffocating 

 odour which they produce when irritated, which have one or more 

 representatives in South America, although the more typical species of 

 the genus are found only in Middle and Northern America. The 

 Mephitis patagonica is found over La Plata, Patagonia, and Chili ; and 

 other species have been described from various parts of Southern 

 and Central America. The Southern forms all belong to the sub- 

 genus Thiosmus of Lichtenstein, but it seems doubtful whether they 

 are anything more than varieties of one variable species. 



The plantigrade Melinae form the transition to the last family of 

 Carnivora, the Ursidae or Bears, which are essentially distinguished 

 from the other groups of the same Order by their peculiar dentition. 

 Of the typical genus, TJrsus, only one species is generally acknowledged 

 as South American — the Spectacled Bear ( TJrsus ornatus) of the higher 

 Peruvian Andes. Tschudi has described a second ( TJrsus frugilegus), 

 from the warmer zone of the same country, but I am not aware that 

 specimens of this species exist in any European collection. Besides 

 the Bears, however, three other genera belonging to the same family 

 are found in South America — the Raccoons (Procyon), the Coatis 

 (Nasua), and the Kinkajous (Cercoleptes). The South American 

 Baccoon (Procyon cancrivorus) is a well-marked species, belonging 

 to the same genus as the well-known Baccoon of the United States 

 (P. lotor). It appears to be common in the forests of Brazil and 

 Guiana. The Coatis (Nasua), distinguishable by their long tail and 

 produced movable snout, have a wider range, from Mexico south- 

 ward to La Plata. Many species have been described of this genus, 

 but it still remains doubtful whether there exists more than one vari- 

 able species. The Kinkajou (Cercoleptes) is still farther aberrant from 

 the typical Bears than either of the two last-named genera, and is 

 sometimes considered as the type of a distinct family. It may be 

 regarded as a characteristic form of Neotropical Mammals, being re- 

 stricted to the wood regions of the Amazon valley and countries 

 northwards as far as Guatemala. Only one species of this peculiar, 

 prehensile-tailed, nocturnal Mammal-form is known to science. 



The subjoined table will show at a glance the principal forms of 

 Neotropical Carnivora, the names of those restricted to the Neotropical 



