162 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



beauteous city to which we were to bid adieu on the morrow. 

 The moon had not yet risen, and the evening remained dark. 

 This circumstance heightened the beauty of the city, and the 

 effect her numberless lights lining the immense borders of the 

 City to the water's edge were reflected from the water in quiv- 

 ering flashes. The outlines of the hills were defined against 

 the darkness by rows of lamps extending over their verdure- 

 clad summits; an occasional ferryboat with its various color- 

 ed lamps, with every turn of the wheel furrows through a 

 diamond sea ; every dip of the oars, every ripple from the 

 evening breeze causes millions of phosphorescent scintilations 

 to illuminate the dark waters. We ait on deck smoking and 

 chatting, loath to lose the beauty spread before us, and drink- 

 ing in the novelty and splendor of the scene. What ! eight 

 bells ? Yes, midnight ; and we regretfully seek our cots bearing 

 memories of the lovely panorama that will never be forgotten. 



Slowly we moved down the bay in the early morning light, 

 passing under the guns and frowning battlements of the fort- 

 ress of Yillegagnon and out between the fortifications of Santa 

 Cruz and San Jo-ao, past the Sugar loaf, and we bid adieu to 

 the lovely Nitherhoi and the metropolis of San Sebastian de 

 Rib de Janeiro. This harbor is situated just within the Tor- 

 rid zone, and communicates as before described with the wide 

 rolling Atlantic, by a deep and narrow passage between two 

 granife mountains. The entrance is so safe as to render the 

 services of a pilot unnescessaiy. The fortresses occupy so 

 commanding positions at the mouth of the harbor, upon the 

 islands and surrounding heights as to make the entrance of a 

 hostile navy practically impossible, at least to wooden vessels 

 and the lighter armored ships. Rio is the largest city of South 

 America, and the third in size upon the western Continent, 

 and boasts an antiquity greater than that of any city in the 



nited States. Being at once the commercial emporium and 

 political Capital of a country which embraces greater territorial 

 dominion than any other country of the New World, together 

 with natural advantages second to none, the position, scenery 

 and increasing magnitude of its capital render it a metropolis 

 worthy of a great empire. And now we are out on the broad 

 Atlantic. What a contrast ! We have exchanged a quiet har- 

 bor, gentle breezes and a clime of almost eternal sunshine for 

 tumbling ocean and fierce storms, and are soon to encounter a 

 region of snow and ice. 



The following day at meridian we were two hundred and 

 fifty miles from our anchorage at Rio, with the breeze directly 

 aft. The weather was extremely warm, and the night quite 

 oppressive, particularly when occupying the staterooms. The 

 wind sails, however, made the wardroom far more tenable 

 than it otherwise would have been. Sailors must be always 

 prepared for changes ; to-day suffering the heat and lassitude 

 induced, of the tropics, and to-morrow suffering from Borean 

 blasts and discomforts of an Arctic winter. 



For several days the weather was close and sultry, while 

 the sky was filled with a dull haze ; the sea smooth, and the 

 breeze almost stationary. We gathered daily under the awn- 

 ing on deek in cool, white duck and panamas, reading, smok- 

 ing and chatting, varied only by watching the quartermaster 

 heaving the log^ and laying wagers on the result. Now four ! 

 four and a half ! six knots I good ! pshaw, only three ! and so 

 on as the breezes varied in intensity. How we chaffed under 

 slow sailing, though we had nothin'gin the world to hurry for, 

 and even so slow a rate as sailing as three and four knots cov- 

 ers a great deal of space in twenty-four hours. The fifth day 

 from Rio we touched at that entomological paradise known as 

 the Island of Santa Catharina to take in coal, for here the 

 government had stored some hundreds of tons. Here are 

 found specimens of the LcpulopUra, beside which those of all 

 other parts of the* world pale, many butterflies measuring sev- 

 en inches from wingllp to wingtip when spread. Here, too, 

 are found in great numbers the Coecuja beetles, which glow 

 with such intensity at night that if eight or ten are placed in 

 a vial the light will be strong enough to read by. A magnifi- 

 cent fire fly is also found here, which ladies are in the ha I 'i o 

 enclosing in gauze nets, and wearing as ornaments in the ball- 

 room. The island has many attractions ; its fruits are unri- 

 valled, and the scenery wild and picturesque. The climate, 

 though warm, is so modified by a Sea, breeze that the heat 

 is never oppressive, and the birds are remarkable for the 

 Sweetness audbrilliaacy of their music. The salubrity of the 

 such that it is of ten visited by invalids from northern 

 cities of the Empire, and even from distant countries. Here 

 too, is where a large share of the fish scale and shell jewelry 

 "iiifaoiured. A writer has justly said, "Could Eden 

 have taken its departure from the East in the shape of an island, 

 I should think it had anchored itself here, under the name of 

 St. Catharine." 



" How sweetly does the moonbeam smile 

 M.'it upon you lean, i«h- : 

 Oft in my fancy's wanderings. 

 I've wished that little isle had wings, 

 And we, within its tarry i towers, 

 Were wafted off to Beat i aown, 

 Where not a pulse should beat but ours, 



might .-lone- 



Far from the C i .'i :;■.:! i cold— 



Whert; the bright eyes ol angels only 



'. come around us, to behold 

 A paradise so pure and lonely," 



We only remained at St. Catharines a few hours. Our Cap- 

 tain hoped to have met the Admiral here, and perhaps 

 lieved from going to Montevidio, for he had no desire to 

 serve under the gentleman, having had sufficient experience 



Us vagaries, We juniors, however, were anxious to see 

 the Plata. ~ In less than twenty-four hours we expeiienceda 

 material change in climate, having encountered a pt!mpero—& 

 wind that gives no admonition, but always springs upon you 



areB— and though we had heretofore sweltered in the 



St summer clothing we were now uncomfortably cold, 

 even with the warmest apparel. Many were suffering from 

 colds, and for the first time it was found necessary to place 

 ral men on the binnacle list. The apothecary was several 

 times asked if he could not prescribe for the monkeys, num- 

 bers of which had been brought on board by the men at Para. 

 The sudden change was fatal to them, and many of the intol- 

 erable nuisances died. In fact none were left alive when we 

 reached the Pacific. My marmoset's were kept in their cage 

 near the heater plentifully supplied with wool, and managed 

 to survive until just before we reached the Straits, when they 

 too succumbed. One mischievous aud villainous little beast 

 became the victim of his own curiosity. Several times he had 

 been caught in the officers' Staterooms and severely thrashed, 

 but punishment seemed to be only a new incentive to his 

 curiosity. He would destroy every scrap of paper that he 

 could lay his paws on, and on one occasion he beautifully mix- 

 ed all the contents of my dressing-case and adorned himself 

 with pomade, capping all with a liberal application of lather 

 and perfumes. Another time. I came in just in time to see him 

 grab a piece of opium, from which I had been making pills ; 



; overing my presence he hastily stuffed it in his cheeks 

 and scampered up the companion. Being well satisfied with 



the meal he had taken I did not pursue, and the dose took 

 effect, for on leaving the wardroom he rushed to the cross- 

 jack stay which he nimbly clambered, then he got on the 

 weather cross-jackyard arm and proceeded to masticate the 

 morsel, which, having been mixed With confection of roses.he 

 found palatable. The effects of the drug were soon apparent 

 for he went to sleep, and finally tumbled from his lofty perch 

 into the sea. 



Five days from Santa Catharina we entered the broad 

 mouth of the Plata, and anchored the following day in front 

 of Monte Video, the Capital and principal city of Uruguay or 

 Banda Oriental. Here we found the Guerrerie, flagship, the 

 Shamoikin and Kansas, the latter having preceded us by two 

 days. The Wasp, which also belonged to the squadron, was 

 up the Uruguay with the Admiral. All the talk in the fleet 

 was of the war then in progress between Paraguay on 

 the one hand, and Brazil, Uruguay and the Argentine Con- 

 federation on the other. Rear Admiral Godcn had been in 

 command until the previous July, when be was superseded 

 by Rear Admiral Bell, owing to the extreme self-importance 

 of the former, who was so puffed up with his own importance 

 and the consequent littleness of every one else, that hi« name- 

 had become a byword and a reproach upon the United 

 States Government. Even Minister Webb, our representative 

 at the Imperial Court of Brazil, was forced to speak severely 

 of the conduct of Admiral Godon, and this was the more 

 marked from the fact that Hon. Mr. Webb always had a 

 good word for every one. All the American ministers had 

 been gratuitously insulted by this commander of the South 

 American squadron. With the officers of the squadron he bore 

 an unenviable reputation from his ungentlemanly conduct. 

 The new Admiral, as might be expected, was but little im- 

 provement, as Porter would not send any one who was not a 

 firm believer in the Porter theory, viz., that all officers in the 

 United States service, civil or naval, were inferior to the 

 line officers of the Navy. I may here digress sufficiently to 

 show why the Unitou States Navy has degenerated, and why if 

 is impossible to fill the vacancies in the staff that occur. A little 



i : this D. D. Porter, as Y ice-Admiral was called to act as 



an assistant to the Secretary of the Navy. He proceeded to 

 issue a new Blue book, or Naval Regulations, in which every 

 ship was saddled with two captains, one ornamental, the other 

 useful, Next he declared that Surgeons, Qliaplams, Paymasters 

 and Chief Engineers had no rank except by courtesy, and 

 hence were subordinate to the lower line offf erj thus making 

 the half-Hedged youth who was just from the Nayal Ac i 

 and holding a warrant as midshipman, the superior of all the 

 staff, even if they held the rank of Captain, which corresponds 

 to Colonel in the army. The duties of Admiral were thus de- 

 fined: '• To command a foreign squadron when he ohooses;" 

 this was all, but the Ffe-AdrairaJ was to be the coadjutor of 

 the Secretary of Navy. This was with the design of shelv- 

 ing Farragut, and allowing no interference from him in mat- 

 ters naval; in fact, making Porter the superior of his superior 

 in rank. After the death of Admiral Farragut, of course the 

 duties formally assigned to the Yice-Adnural were now 

 transferred to the Admiral. Further on— I am speaking of a 

 time subsequent to our arrival iu Monte Yideo — all badges of 

 rank, etc., were taken away from the staff, while the mid- 

 shipman was fitted out with a gorgeous shoulder knot. The 

 constant insults thus heaped upon the staff officers were too 

 much, and many left the service of which they were an orna- 

 ment, others remained for a time trusting that Congress would 

 right the matter, which it did in part, but so dilator}' and par- 

 tial was its action that many more had left. 



INTRODUCTION AND SUCCESSION OF 

 VERTEBRATE LIFE IN AMERICA.* 



By O. C. Mahsh. 



PRESIDENT OF THE BIOLOGICAL SECTION OF THE A.MHSKJAJS 



ASSOCIATION. 



Fifth Papep. 



THE Artiodactyles, or even-toed Ungulates, are the most 

 abundant of the larger mammals now bving ; aud the 

 group dates back at least to the lowest Eocene. Of the two 

 well marked divisions of this order, the Bunodonts and the 

 Selenodonts, as happily defined by Kowalevsky, the former is 

 the older type, which must have separated from the Peris- 

 sodactyleliue after the latter had become differentiated from 

 the primitive Ungulate. In the Coryphodon Beds of New 

 Mexico, occurs the oldest Arliodactylc yet found, but it is at 

 present known only from fragmentary specimens. These 

 remains are clearly Suilline in character, and belong to the 

 genus Eofryus. In the beds above, and possibly even in the 

 same horizon, the genus Helohyus is not uncommon, and 

 several species are known. The molar teeth of this genus are 

 very similar to those of the Eocene ITyracotJteriu/n, of Europe, 

 which is supposed to be a Perissodactyle, while Helohyus cer- 

 tainly is not, but apparently a true lineal ancestor of the exist 

 mg pigs. In every vigorous primitive type which was des- 

 tined to survive many geological changes, there seems to have 

 been a tendency to throw off lateral branches, which became 

 highly specialized and soon died out, because they arc UDable 

 to adapt themselves to new conditions. The narrow path of 

 the persistent Suilline type, throughout the whole Tertiary, is 

 strewn with the remains of such ambitious offshoots, while 

 the typical pig, with an obstinacy never lost, has held on in 

 spite of Catastrophes and Evolution, and still lives in America 

 to-day. Iu the lower Eocene, we have in the genus Para/ryus 

 apparently one of these short-lived, specialized branches. It 

 attained a much larger size than the true lineal forms, and the 

 number of its teeth was reduced. In the Dinoceras Beds, or 

 middle Eocene, we have still, on or near the true line, lleloliyus, 

 which is the last of the series known from the American 

 Eocene. All these early Suillines, with the possible excep- 

 tion of Pnraltym, appear to have had at least four toes, all of 

 usable size. 

 In the lower Miocene, we find the genus Percharm, seern- 

 s true Suilline, and with it remains of a larger form, 

 ,-i e abundant. The latter genus occurs in Europe 



* Delivered before the American Association for the Advancement of 

 Science, at Nashville, Tenn., Aug 31, 1ST7, 



in nearly the game horizon, and the specimens known from 

 each Continent agree closely in general characters. The name 

 Pelonax has been applied erroneously to some of the American 

 forms ; but the specimens on which it was based clearly be- 

 long to Elothervum. This genus affords another example of 

 the aberrant Suilline offshoots, already mentioned. Some of 

 the species were nearly as large as a Rhinoceros, and in all 

 there were but two serviceable toes ; the outer digits, seen in 

 living animals of this group, being represented only by small 

 rudiments concealed beneath the skin. In the upper Miocene 

 of Oregon, Suillines are abundant, and almost all belong to 

 the genus TMnohyuz, a near ally of the modern Peccary 

 (nmbyles), but having a greater number of teeth, and a few 

 other distinguishing features. In the Pliocene, Suillines are 

 still numerous, and all the American forms yet discovered are 

 closely related to Bicotylea. The genus PMygonm is repre- 

 sented by several species, one of which was very abundant in 

 the Post-Tertiary of North America, and is apparently the 

 last example of a side branch, before the American Suillines 

 culminate in existing Peccaries. The feet in this species are 

 moie specialized than in the living forms, and approach some 

 of the peculiar features of the ruminants ; as for example a 

 strong tendency to coalesence in the metapodial bones. The 

 genus PlatygtmuH became extinct in the Post-Tertiary, and 

 the later and existing spr cies are all true Peccaries. 3Sfo au- 

 thenticated remains of the genera Sua, Porcus. Phacoc/ 

 or the allied Hippotomux, the Old World Suillines, have been 

 found in America, although several announcements to that 

 effect have been made. 



In the series of generic forms between the lower Eocene ' 

 Ei///yusa.m\ the existing Dicotyk*, which I have very briefly I 

 discussed, we have apparently the ancestral line ending in the 



a] American Suillines. Although the demonstration is:] 

 not yet as complete as in the lineage of the Horse, this is not ' 

 owing to want of material, but rather to the fact that the 

 actual changes which transformed the early Tertiary p; 

 the modern Peccary itivcly slight, so far as they 1 



are indicated in the skeletons preserved, while the lateral 

 branches were so numerous as to confuse the line. It is clearj" 

 however, that from the close of the Cretaceous to the Post- 

 Tertiary, the Bunodont Artiodactyles were especially abun-J 

 dant on this Continent, and only recently have approached ' 

 extmctUn. 



The Selenodont division of the Artiodactyles is a moral 

 interesting group and, so far as we now know, makes its 

 first appearance in the upper Eocene of the West, although! 

 forms, apparently transitional, between it and the Buuodontsl 

 occur iu the Dinoceras Beds, or middle Eocene. These ' 

 belong to the genus JSomocOdon, which is very nearly allied 

 to UilohyiM and but a single step away from this geniiM 

 toward the Selenodonts. By a fortunate discovery, a 

 ly complete skeleton of this rare intermediate form 

 been brought to light, and we are thus enabl 

 its characters. Several species of Ilomaoodon are known. 

 all of small size. This primitive Selenodont, had forty-fotlrJ 

 teeth, which formed a nearly continuous series. 



The molar teeth are very similar to those of ITelohyus,' 

 but the cones on the crowns have, become partially' tri- 

 angular in outline, so that when worn, tie 

 pattern is clearly recognizable. The first and second uppei 

 mi:lars, moreover, have three distil is, an9 



two in front; a peculiar feature, whirl' 

 European genera '• ■ ■■■.■ There were I 



four foes on each foot, and the metapodial bones were difl9 

 tinct, The type speciesof this genus was 

 cat. With Melohyus, this genus forms a well marked iamilyj 

 the 1 h:l< >hy h] if. 



In tin- DipUu-odon horizon of the upper Eocene, tl 

 dont dentition is no longer doubtful, as it is seen 

 the ArUodactyla yet found in these beds. These 

 all small, and belong to at least three distinct genera. One 

 these, Eomeryj), closely resembles Romacodon in most of i. 

 skeleton, and has four toes, but its teeth show w 

 crescents, and a partial transition to the teeth of //,, 

 frorn the Eocene of Europe. With this genus, is auothej 

 (Parameryz), also closely allied to Homc^mn, but apparent] 

 a straggler from the true due, as it has but three to< ■ i dti 

 I pronounced Selenodont in the upper Eocene is I 

 Oninuryx, which genus appears to be alii - 

 Deer family or (Jeni'dm, and if so is the oldest known rep 

 sentative of the group. These facts are important, as it I... 

 been supposed, until very recently, that OUT Eocene contains 

 no even-hoofed mammals. 



In the lowest Miocene of the West, no true cresc 

 Arliudaclyla have as yet been identified, with the c : 

 a single species of Hyopotcmw ; but iu the overlying beds c 

 the middle Miocene, remains of the QreocfonttdtB occ 

 vast numbers as to indicate that these animals must have liv 

 in large herds around the borders of the lake-basins in whi 

 their remains have been entombed. These basins are now t 

 denuded deserts so well termed Mfl/w< ' y the em 



French trappers. The least specialized, and apparently t 

 oldest, genus of this group is AgrHticTtceruSj which si 

 sembles the older Myopotanms, and the still more ancieL 

 Eomcryx, that we can hardly doubt that lh 



od line. The typical Oreodbnta are the gem 

 Oreudn/i and Bponeodon, which have been aptly termed 

 Leidy ruminating hogs. They had forty-four 

 lour well-developed toes on each foot. The true 

 which were most numerous east of the Rocky 

 were about as large as the existing Peccary, while 

 which was nearly twice this size, was very abundant in t 

 Miocene of the Pacific slope. 



In the Buccei I formation, on each side of 



Rocky Mountains, the genus M&ryokyw is one of the prev 

 ing forms, and continues the hue- on from the. Mid 

 the true Oreodons became extinct. Beyond this \ 

 genus McryrJioclwri's, which is so nearly allied to the last t 

 they would be united by many naturalists. Willi ; 

 the Pliocene this series of peculiar ruminants abruptly ten 

 nates, no member surviving until the Post-Tertiary, so far 

 known. 



A most interesting line, that leading to the Camels and 1 

 mas, separates from the primitive Selenodont branch in 

 Eocene, probably through the genus Parameryx. In the B 

 cene we find iu Ptsbath me nearly allied forms i 



mistakable indications that the Cameloid type of rumim 

 had already become partially specialized, although there is 

 complete series of incisor teeth, and the metapodial 

 distinct. In the Pliocene, the Camel tribe was, next to t 

 Horses, the most abundant of the larger mammals. The '. 

 is continued through the l and perhi 



others, and in this formation the inci _iu to dim 



ish, and the metapodials to unite. In the Post-Terliary j 



,-; representee 

 others in South America, where the Alpacas and Llamas I 

 survive. From 

 America lias been the home of vast i ..• VarmU 



