214 BARBOUR: ZOOGEOGRAPHY. 



that Mr. Nelson's collections prove definitely that Tiaporus fulginosus Cope, a 

 teid genus supposedly peculiar to the islands does not occur there. The types 

 were collected by Townsend in 1887 and there is documentary evidence in his 

 correspondence with the U. S. national museum which leaves no doubt as to 

 the fact that the type specimens were actually taken on Swan Island. If the 

 species was confined to the larger island, it, being wholly terrestrial in habit, 

 may have been exterminated by the introduced cats. 



In 1911 Mr. Percy R. LoAve published a quite fascinating book, A Naturalist 

 on Desert Islands, though why "desert islands" does not at once occur to one. 

 Lowe spent three weeks about the Swan Islands on the yacht Zenaida landing 

 frequently and making considerable collections. He is firmly convinced that 

 they have never been in connection with any of the land masses which have in 

 the past existed in the Caribbean region. The geologic evidence which he brings 

 forward certainly supports his contention but, so far no borings have been pos- 

 sible to show the real underlying structure of the islands. The fauna is rich, 

 equally so upon Little Swan, which has never been inhabited and cultivated, as 

 upon the greater island, which has. 



Remarking upon the indigenous species of hutia Lowe (p. 103) speaks of: — 



"A strange race of vegetarian rats (Capromys), tree-dwellers or tree-climbers, and now 

 almost extinct on other islands in the West Indies, but which found their way across the sea 

 to Swan Island in the same fashion as the iguana, and there founded a specific race of their 

 own." 



Again on p. 112-114 we read: — 



" This rat is of an extremely mild and almost genial disposition; has a head and body very 

 much after the style of an enormous guinea-pig; and is covered with rather long and silky 

 hairs protruding through a thick fur. Its specific name is Capromys thoracatus of True, and 

 the species thoracatus is restricted to Swan Island. The genus Capromys to which it belongs 

 is an interesting one; for it comprises arboreal forms which are only found in the larger West 

 Indian Islands such as Cuba and Jamaica, where it is in imminent danger of becoming extinct. 

 It is just possible, therefore, that Little Swan Island will, in the future, represent the last 

 stronghold of this peculiar and old time race of rats, for here they are left absolutely unmo- 

 lested; and no enemies, human or otherwise, seem likely to disturb them. Scientifically, 

 these rats are allied to the coypu (Myopotamus) of South America; an animal attaining to the 

 length of two feet, which lives in burrows near the water, and feeds on aquatic plants. How 

 these rats came to find their way to Swan Island is a little point in the problem of the distribu- 

 tion of species which may be worth referring to; for as we have seen, there is every reason to 

 suppose that Swan Island has never had any connection with the mainland, and is of infinitely 

 later date, geologically speaking, than the islands comprising the Greater Antilles, being of 

 quite recent coral origin. Indeed as far as its fauna is concerned, Swan Island might be looked 

 upon as an oceanic or pseudo-oceanic island. 1 If, as seems most likely, this Swan Island race 



1 There are no snakes on Swan Island. 



