52 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



NOTES ON THE TERRESTRIAL MAMMALS OF BARBADOS. 

 By Colonel H. W. Feilden, F.G.S. - 



In * The Zoologist' for 1889 (pp. 295—298) I published some 

 remarks on the terrestrial reptiles inhabiting the island of Bar- 

 bados, and there briefly gave my reasons why Barbados should 

 be designated an oceanic island, in the sense that it has had no 

 continental connection since the introduction of its present fauna 

 and flora. Barbados is an interesting example of an island which 

 has received its terrestrial animals and plants from the effects of 

 ocean currents, winds, accidental occurrences, or by the agency 

 of man. Its reptilian fauna certainly bears out this view, and 

 when we come to examine the mammals now inhabiting the 

 island the same conclusion must be arrived at. 



The number of mammals I found in the island, reproducing 

 their species in a state of nature, is eight — namely, a Monkey, 

 Racoon, Mongoose, Rat, Mouse, two species of Bats, and the 

 European Hare. Sir Richard Schomburgk, in his * History of 

 Barbados,' published in 1848, writes as follows : — " The scarcity 

 of birds in the island of Barbados is only surpassed by the rarity 

 of quadrupeds. If we except domestic animals, Barbados 

 possesses five genera of terrestrial animals, comprising only a few 

 more species in number. The most interesting is the Barbados 

 Monkey, now nearly extinct, although formerly so frequent that 

 the legislature set a price upon its head. I have much to regret, 

 on account of Natural History, that my endeavours to procure a 

 specimen for the purpose of determining the species have entirely 

 failed. From the outer appearance of a living specimen, I consider 

 it to be Cebus capucinus, Geoff., the Sai or Weeper, or a very 

 closely-allied species. It is not likely that it was introduced, as 

 the first settlers found it in large numbers on their arrival. The 

 Racoon, Procyon lotor, Cuv., is now equally scarce, although 

 formerly so abundant that they were included in the legislative 

 enactment for extirpation. If we add to this two animals, 

 perhaps an indigenous Mouse and two species of Bats, we come, 

 as far as my knowledge extends, to the end of our enumeration of 

 indigenous Mammalia." 



This account by Sir Richard Schomburgk of the Mammalia 

 inhabiting Barbados is misleading, and his statements are not 



