Chapter I: Part 1

MAMMALIA,

Described by

GEORGE R. WATERHOUSE, ESQ.
CURATOR OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, ETC. ETC.

WITH

A NOTICE OF THEIR HABITS AND RANGES,

BY CHARLES DARWIN, ESQ., M.A., F.R.S.
SECRETARY TO THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

ILLUSTRATED BY NUMEROUS COLOURED ENGRAVINGS.

THE
ZOOLOGY
OF
THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. BEAGLE,
UNDER THE COMMAND OF CAPTAIN FITZROY, R.N.,
DURING THE YEARS
1832 to 1836.

_PUBLISHED WITH THE APPROVAL OF
THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS OF HER MAJESTY’S TREASURY._

Edited and Superintended by
CHARLES DARWIN, ESQ. M.A. F.R.S. SEC. G.S.
NATURALIST TO THE EXPEDITION.

PART II.
MAMMALIA,
BY
GEORGE R. WATERHOUSE, ESQ.
CURATOR OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, ETC. ETC.

LONDON:
PUBLISHED BY SMITH, ELDER AND CO. 65, CORNHILL.
MDCCCXXXIX.

LONDON:
PRINTED BY STEWART AND MURRAY,
OLD BAILEY.

GEOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION.

BY MR. DARWIN.

The object of the present Introduction, is briefly to describe the principal localities, from which the Zoological specimens, collected during the voyage of the Beagle, were obtained. At the conclusion of this work, after each species has been separately examined and described, it will be more advantageous to incorporate any general remarks. The Beagle was employed for nearly five years out of England; of this time a very large proportion was spent in surveying the coasts of the Southern part of South America, and of the remainder, much was consumed in making long passages during her circumnavigation of the globe. Hence nearly the entire collection, especially of the animals belonging to the higher orders, was procured from this continent; to which, however, must be added the Galapagos Archipelago, a group of islands in the Pacific, but not far distant from the American coast. The localities may be briefly described under the following heads.

BRAZIL. This country presents an enormous area, supporting the most luxuriant productions of the intertropical regions. It is composed of primary formations, and may be considered as being hilly rather than mountainous. LA PLATA includes the several provinces bordering that great river;—namely, Buenos Ayres, Banda Oriental, Santa Fé, Entre Rios, &c. My collections were chiefly made at BUENOS AYRES, at MONTE VIDEO, the capital of Banda Oriental, and at MALDONADO, a town in the same province, situated on the northern shore, near the mouth of the estuary of the Plata. These countries consist either of an undulating surface, clothed with turf, or of perfectly level plains with enormous beds of thistles. Except on the banks of the rivers, trees nowhere grow; there are, however, thickets in some of the valleys, in the more hilly parts of Banda Oriental. During the winter and spring of this hemisphere, a considerable quantity of rain falls, and the plains of turf are then everywhere verdant; but in summer the country assumes a brown and parched appearance.

BAHIA BLANCA forms a large bay, in latitude 39° S. on a part of the coast, which falls within the territory of the province of Buenos Ayres, but which from its physical conditions would more properly be classed with Patagonia. The tertiary plains of PATAGONIA, extend from the Strait of Magellan to the Rio Negro, which is commonly assumed as their Northern boundary. This space of more than seven hundred miles in length, and in breadth reaching from the Cordillera to the Atlantic Ocean, is everywhere characterised by the dreary uniformity of its landscape. Nearly desert plains, composed of a thick bed of shingle, and often strewed over with sea-shells, (plainly indicating that the land has been covered within a recent period by the sea,) are but rarely interrupted by hills of porphyry, and other crystalline rocks. The plains support scattered tufts of wiry grass, and stunted bushes; whilst in the broad flat-bottomed valleys, dwarf thorn-bearing trees, barely ornamented with the scantiest foliage, sometimes unite into thickets; and here the few feathered inhabitants of these sterile regions resort. There is an extreme scarcity of water; and where it is found, especially if in lakes, it is generally as salt as brine. The sky in summer is cloudless, and the heat in consequence, considerable; whereas the frosts of winter are, sometimes, severe. The principal localities visited by the Beagle, were the RIO NEGRO, in latitude 41° S., PORT DESIRE, PORT ST. JULIAN, and SANTA CRUZ. At the latter place, a party, under the command of Captain FitzRoy, followed up the river in boats, to within a few miles of the Cordillera; and an opportunity was thus afforded of verifying the nature of the country in its entire breadth. At the Rio Negro the plains are much more thickly covered with bushes, (chiefly acacias,) than in any other part of Patagonia.

TIERRA DEL FUEGO may be supposed to include all the broken land south of a line joining the opposite mouths of the Strait of Magellan. The land is mountainous, and may be aptly compared to a lofty chain, partly submerged in the sea;—bays and channels occupying the position of valleys. The Eastern side almost exclusively consists of clay-slate; the Western, of primary, and various plutonic formations. The mountains, from the water’s edge, to within a short distance of the lower limit of perpetual snow, are everywhere (excepting on the exposed western shores) concealed by an impervious forest, the trees of which do not periodically shed their leaves. On the East coast, the outline of the land shows that tertiary formations, like those of Patagonia, extend south of the Strait of Magellan; but with the exception of this part, it is rare to find even a small space of level ground; and where such occurs, a thick bed of peat invariably covers the surface. The climate is of that kind which has been denominated insular: the winters are far from being excessively cold, whilst the summers are gloomy, boisterous, and seldom cheered by the rays of the sun. In all seasons, a large quantity of rain falls. Hence, from the physical conditions of Tierra del Fuego, all the land animals must live either on the sea-beach, (and in this class the Aborigines may be included) or within the humid and entangled forests.

The FALKLAND ISLANDS are situated in the same latitude as the Eastern entrance of the Strait of Magellan, and about 270 miles East of it. The climate is nearly the same as in Tierra del Fuego, but the surface of the land, instead of being as there, concealed by one great forest, does not support a single tree. We see on every side a withered and coarse herbage, with a few low bushes, which spring from the peaty soil of an undulating moorland. Scattered hills, and a central range of quartz rock, protrude through formations of clay-slate and sand-stone (belonging to the Silurian epoch,) which compose the lower country.

The structure of the west coast of South America, from the Strait of Magellan northward to latitude 38°, in its greater part, (as far north as Chiloe) is very similar to that of Tierra del Fuego. The climate likewise is similar,—being gloomy, boisterous, and extremely humid; and, consequently, the land is concealed by an almost impenetrable forest. In the northern part of this region, the temperature of course is considerably higher than near the Strait of Magellan; but nevertheless it is much less so, than might have been anticipated from so great a change in latitude. Hence, although the vegetation of this northern district presents a marked difference when compared with that of the southern; yet the zoology in many respects has, like the general aspect of the landscape, a very uniform character. The specimens were chiefly collected from the PENINSULA OF TRES MONTES, the CHONOS ARCHIPELAGO (from latitude 46° to 43° 30′), CHILOE with the adjoining islets, and VALDIVIA. The contrast between the physical conditions and productions of the East and West coasts of this part of South America is very remarkable. On one side of the Cordillera, great heavy clouds are driven along by the western gales in unbroken sheets, and the indented land is clothed with thick forests; whilst on the other side of this great range, a bright sky, with a clear and dry atmosphere, extends over wide and desolate plains.

CHILE in the neighbourhood of CONCEPCION (latitude 36° 42′ S.) may be called a fertile land; for it is diversified with fine woods, pasturage, and cultivated fields. But towards the more central districts (near VALPARAISO and SANTIAGO) although by the aid of irrigation, the soil in the valleys yields a most abundant return, yet the appearance of the hills, thinly scattered with various kinds of bushes and cylindrical Opuntias, bespeaks an arid climate. In winter, rain is copious, but during a long summer of from six to eight months, a shower never moistens the parched soil. The country has a very alpine character, and is traversed by several chains of mountains extending parallel to the Andes. These ranges include between them level basins, which appear once to have formed the beds of ancient channels and bays, such as those now intersecting the land further to the south. North of the neighbourhood of Valparaiso, the climate rapidly becomes more and more arid, and the land in proportion desert. Beyond the valley of COQUIMBO (latitude 30°.) it is scarcely habitable, excepting in the valleys of Guasco, Copiapó, and Paposa, which owe their entire fertility to the system of irrigation, invented by the aboriginal Indians and followed by the Spanish colonists. Northward of these places, the absolute desert of Atacama forms a complete barrier, and eastward, the snow-clad chain of the Cordillera separates the Zoological province of Chile, from that of the wide plains which extend on the other side of the Andes.

The last district which it is at all necessary for me to mention here, is that of the GALAPAGOS ARCHIPELAGO, situated under the Equator, and between five and six hundred miles West of the coast of America. These islands are entirely volcanic in their composition; and on two of them the volcanic forces have within late years been seen in activity. There are five principal islands, and several smaller ones: they cover a space of 2° 10′ in latitude, and 2° 35′ in longitude. The climate, for an equatorial region, is far from being excessively hot: it is extremely dry; and although the sky is often clouded, rain seldom falls, excepting during one short season, and then its quantity is variable. Hence, in the lower part of these islands, even the more ancient streams of lava (the recent ones still remaining naked and glossy) are clothed only with thin and nearly leafless bushes. At an elevation of 1200 feet, and upwards, the land receives the moisture condensed from the clouds, which are drifted by the trade wind over this part of the ocean at an inconsiderable height. In consequence of this, the upper and central part of each island supports a green and thriving vegetation; but from some cause, not very easily explained, it is much less frequented, than the lower and rocky districts are, by the feathered inhabitants of this archipelago.

By a reference to the localities here described, it is hoped that the reader will obtain some general idea of the nature of the different countries inhabited by the several animals, which will be described in the following sheets.

The vertebrate animals in my collection have been presented to the following museums:—the Mammalia and Birds to the Zoological Society; the Fishes to the Cambridge Philosophical Society; and the Reptiles, when described, will be deposited in the British Museum. For the care and preservation of all these and other specimens, during the long interval of time between their arrival in this country and my return, I am deeply indebted to the kindness of the Rev. Professor Henslow of Cambridge. With respect to the gentlemen, who have undertaken the several departments of this publication, I hope they will permit me here to express the great personal obligation which I feel towards them, and likewise my admiration at the disinterested zeal which has induced them thus to bestow their time and talents for the good of Science.

LIST OF PLATES.

Plate I. Desmodus D’Orbignyi.

II. Phyllostoma Grayi.

III. Vespertilio Chiloensis.

IV. Canis antarcticus.

V. —— Magellanicus.

VI. —— fulvipes.

VII. —— Azaræ.

VIII. Felis Yagouaroundi.

IX. —— Pajeros.

X. Delphinus Fitz-Royi.

XI. Mus longicaudatus.

—— gracilipes.

XII. —— elegans.

—— bimaculatus.

XIII. —— flavescens.

—— arenicola.

XIV. —— Magellanicus.

—— brachiotis.

XV. —— Renggeri.

—— obscurus.

XVI. —— longipilis.

XVII. —— xanthorhinus.

—— nasutus.

XVIII. —— tumidus.

XIX. —— Braziliensis.

XX. —— micropus.

XXI. —— griseo-flavus.

XXII. —— xanthopygus.

XXIII. —— Darwinii.

XXIV. —— Galapagoensis.

XXV. —— fuscipes.

XXVI. Reithrodon cuniculoïdes.

XXVII. —— chinchilloïdes.

XXVIII. Abrocoma Bennettii.

XXIX. —— Cuvieri.

XXX. Didelphis crassicaudata.

XXXI. —— elegans.

XXXII. —— brachyura.

XXXIII. Skulls, and molar teeth of various species of Rodents.

Fig. 1. _a._ Skull of _Abrocoma Cuvieri_—natural size.

— 1. _b._ Side view of ditto.

— 1. _c._ _Ramus_ of lower jaw—outer side.

— 1. _d._ Lower jaw seen from above.

— 1. _e._ Molar teeth of the upper jaw magnified.

— 1. _f._ ditto of lower jaw.

— 2. _a._ Skull of _Reithrodon cuniculoïdes_.

— 2. _b._ Incisors of the upper jaw magnified.

— 2. _c._ Molar teeth of the upper jaw magnified.

— 2. _d._ ditto of the lower jaw.

— 2. _e._ ditto of upper jaw of a younger specimen.

— 3. _a._ Portion of a skull of _Mus Braziliensis_.

— 3. _b._ ditto, view of palate.

— 3. _c._ Molar teeth of the upper jaw magnified.

— 3. _d._ ditto of lower jaw.

— 4. _a._ Molar teeth of lower jaw of _Reithrodon typicus_
magnified.

— 5. _a._ Molar teeth of the upper jaw of _Mus canescens_.

— 5. _b._ ditto of under jaw.

— 5. _c._ Skull of ditto.

— 5. _d._ Posterior molar of the lower jaw more worn than in 5.
_b._

— 6. _a._ Molar teeth of the lower jaw of _Mus longipilis_.

— 6. _b._ Molar teeth of the upper jaw.

— 7. _a._ Skull of _Mus nasutus_.

— 7. _b._ Molar teeth of upper jaw.

— 7. _c._ ditto of lower jaw.

— 8. _a._ Skull of _Mus Galapagoensis_.

— 8. _b._ Molar teeth of upper jaw.

— 8. _c._ ditto of lower jaw.

XXXIV. Skulls and molar teeth of various species of Rodents, &c.

Fig. 1. _a._ Skull of _Mus longicaudatus_—natural size.

— 1. _b._ Molar teeth of upper jaw of ditto.

— 1. _c._ ditto of lower jaw.

— 1. _d._ _Ramus_ of lower jaw—natural size.

— 2. _a._ Skull of _Mus elegans_—natural size.

— 2. _b._ Molar teeth of upper jaw.

— 2. _c._ ditto of lower jaw.

— 3. _a._ Skull of _Mus bimaculatus_—nat. size.

— 3. _b._ Molar teeth of upper jaw.

— 3. _c._ ditto of lower jaw.

— 3. _d._ _Ramus_ of lower jaw—natural size.

— 4. _a._ Skull of _Mus gracilipes_.

— 4. _b._ Molar teeth of upper jaw.

— 4. _c._ ditto of lower jaw.

— 4. _d._ View of the under side of the tarsus.

— 5. _a._ First and second molar teeth of upper jaw of _Mus
flavescens_.

— 5. _b._ Two posterior molar teeth of the lower jaw of ditto.

— 6. _a._ Molar teeth of the upper jaw of _Mus Magellanicus_.

— 6. _b._ ditto of lower jaw.

— 7. _a._ Skull of _Mus arenicola_.

— 7. _b._ Molar teeth of upper jaw.

— 7. _c._ ditto of lower jaw.

— 7. _d._ _Ramus_ of lower jaw.

— 8. _a._ Molar teeth of upper jaw of _Mus brachiotis_.

— 8. _b._ Two posterior molars of lower jaw.

— 9. _a._ Molar teeth of upper jaw of _Mus obscurus_.

— 9. _b._ ditto of lower jaw.

— 10. _a._ _Ramus_ of lower jaw of _Mus nasutus_.

— 11. _a._ Molar teeth of lower jaw of _Mus tumidus_.

— 12. _a._ _Ramus_ of lower jaw of _Mus Braziliensis_.

— 13. _a._ Molar teeth of upper jaw of _Mus micropus_.

— 13. _b._ ditto of lower jaw.

— 14. _a._ _Ramus_ of lower jaw of _Mus Galapagoensis_.

— 15. _a._ Molar teeth of upper jaw of _Mus griseo-flavus_.

— 15. _b._ ditto of lower.

— 16. _a._ Molar teeth of upper jaw of _Mus xanthopygus_.

— 16. _b._ ditto of lower jaw.

— 17. _a._ Molar teeth of upper jaw of _Mus Darwinii_.

— 17. _b._ ditto of lower.

— 18. _a._ Molar teeth of upper jaw of _Mus Gouldii_.

— 18. _b._ ditto of lower.

— 19. _a._ Molar teeth of upper jaw of _Mus insularis_.

— 19. _b._ ditto of lower jaw.

— 19. _c._ Portion of ramus of lower jaw.

— 20. _a._ Skull of _Reithrodon chinchilloïdes_—natural size.

— 20. _b._ ditto, viewed from beneath.

— 20. _c._ ditto, side view.

— 20. _d._ _Ramus_ of lower jaw—natural size.

— 20. _e._ Molar teeth of upper jaw.

— 20. _f._ ditto of lower.

— 21. _a._ Skull of _Reithrodon cuniculoïdes_, viewed from beneath.

— 21. _b._ ditto, side view of fore part.

— 21. _c._ _Ramus_ of lower pair.

— 22. _a._ Hinder part of ramus of lower jaw of _Abrocoma
Bennettii_.

— 23. _a._ Skull of _Abrocoma Cuvieri_, viewed from beneath.

— 23. _b._ Lower jaw of ditto, viewed from beneath.

— 23. _c._ _Ramus_ of lower jaw, inner side.

— 24. _a._ _Ramus_ of lower jaw of _Octodon Cumingii_, inner side.

— 25. _a._ Skull of _Didelphis crassicaudata_.

— 25. _b._ ditto, viewed from beneath.

— 25. _c._ Side view of fore part of skull.

— 25. _d._ _Ramus_ of lower jaw, outer side.

XXXV. Skulls of various animals.

Fig. 1. _a._ Skull of _Desmodus D’Orbignyi_.

— 1. _b._ ditto, viewed from beneath.

— 1. _c._ ditto, side view.

— 1. _d._ Front view of the incisors, and canines of upper jaw
magnified.

— 1. _e._ Side view of do. and the molar teeth.

— 1. _f._ Front view of incisors and canines of lower jaw,
magnified.

— 1. _g._ Side view of ditto, and molar teeth.

— 2. _a._ Skull of _Phyllostoma Grayi_.

— 2. _b._ Side view of ditto.

— 2. _c._ } Front view of incisors of upper and

— 2. _d._ } lower jaws magnified.

— 3. _a._ Skull of _Vespertilio Chiloensis_.

— 3. _b._ Side view of ditto.

— 3. _c._ Front view of upper and lower incisors magnified.

— 4. _a._ Skull of _Lutra Platensis_.

— 4. _b._ Under view of ditto.

— 4. _c._ Side view of fore part of ditto.

— 4. _d._ Upper view of lower jaw of ditto.

— 5. _a._ Skull of _Didelphis elegans_.

— 5. _b._ Under view of ditto.[1]

— 5. _c._ Side view ditto.

— 5. _d._ _Ramus_ of lower jaw, outer side.

— 5. _e._ The same, viewed from above, and magnified.

INDEX TO THE SPECIES.

Page
Abrocoma Bennettii 85
—— Cuvieri 86
Auchenia Llama 26
Canis antarcticus 7
—— Azaræ 14
—— fulvipes 12
—— Magellanicus 10
Cavia Cobaia 89
—— Patachonica 89
Cervus campestris 29
Ctenomys Braziliensis 79
Dasypus hybridus 92
—— minutus 93
Delphinus Fitz-Royi 25
Desmodus D’Orbignyi 1
Didelphis Azaræ 93
—— brachyura 97
—— crassicaudata 94
—— elegans 95
Dysopes nasutus 6
Felis domesticus 20
—— Pajeros 18
—— Yagouaroundi 16
Gallictis vittata 21
Hydrochœrus Capybara 91
Kerodon Kingii 88
Lagostomus trichodactylus 88
Lepus Magellanicus 92
Lutra Chilensis 22
—— Platensis 21
Mus arenicola 48
—— bimaculatus 43
—— brachiotis 49
—— Braziliensis 58
Mus canescens 54
—— Darwinii 64
—— decumanus 31
—— —— var. Maurus 33
—— elegans 41
—— flavescens 46
—— fuscipes 66
—— Galapagoensis 65
—— Gouldii 67
—— gracilipes 45
—— griseo-flavus 62
—— Jacobiæ 34
—— longicaudatus 39
—— longipilis 55
—— Magellanicus 47
—— micropus 61
—— Musculus 38
—— nasutus 56
—— obscurus 52
—— Rattus var. Insularis 35
—— Renggeri 5
—— tumidus 57
—— xanthopygus 63
—— xanthorhinus 53
Myopotamus Coypus 78
Octodon Cumingii 82
Phyllostoma Grayi 3
—— perspicillatum 4
Poephagomys ater 82
Reithrodon chinchilloïdes 72
—— cuniculoïdes 69
—— typicus 71
Vespertilio Chiloensis 5

LONDON:
PRINTED BY STEWART AND MURRAY,
OLD BAILEY.

MAMMALIA,

Described by

GEORGE R. WATERHOUSE, ESQ.
CURATOR OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, ETC. ETC.

WITH

A NOTICE OF THEIR HABITS AND RANGES,

BY CHARLES DARWIN, ESQ. M.A. F.G.S. &c.
CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

MAMMALIA.

FAMILY—PHYLLOSTOMIDÆ.

DESMODUS D’ORBIGNYI.
PLATE I. Natural size. Skull, teeth, &c. Pl. XXXV., figs. 1.

_D. pilis nitidis adpressis; corpore suprà fusco, pilis ad basin
albis; gulâ abdomineque cinerescenti-albis; nasûs prosthemate
parvulo bifido._

DESCRIPTION.—The fur of this Bat is glossy and has a silk-like
appearance; that on the top of the head, sides of the face, and
the whole of the upper parts of the body, is of a deep brown
colour; all the hairs on these parts, however, are white at the
base. The flanks, interfemoral membrane, and the arms, are also
covered on their upper side with brown hairs. On the lower part of
the sides of the face, and the whole of the under parts of the
body, the hairs are of an ashy-white colour. The membrane of the
wing is brownish. The ears are of moderate size, and somewhat
pointed; externally they are covered with minute brown hairs, and
internally with white. The tragus is also covered with white
hairs; it is of a narrow form, pointed at the tip, and has a small
acute process in the middle of the outer margin. The nose-leaf is
pierced by the nostrils, which diverge posteriorly, and is so
deeply cleft on its hinder margin, that it may be compared to two
small leaflets joined side by side near their bases. These
leaflets, unlike the nose-leaf of the Phyllostomina, lie
horizontally on the nose to which they are attached throughout, a
slight ridge only indicating their margin. Around the posterior
part of the nose-leaf there is a considerable naked space, in
which two small hollows are observable, situated one on each side,
and close to the nose-leaf; and, at a short distance behind the
nose-leaf, this naked membrane is slightly elevated, and forms a
transverse fleshy tubercle.

In. Lines.
Length of head and body 3 3
interfemoral membrane 0 3½
the antibrachium 2 2
thumb (claw included) 0 8
tibia 0 10
tarsus (claw included) 0 8⅓
ear 0 4
tragus 0 3
nose-leaf 0 2¼
Expanse the wings
of 12 8

Habitat, Coquimbo, Chile. (_May._)

“The Vampire Bat,” says Mr. Darwin in his MS. notes upon the present species, “is often the cause of much trouble, by biting the horses on their withers. The injury is generally not so much owing to the loss of blood, as to the inflammation which the pressure of the saddle afterwards produces. The whole circumstance has lately been doubted in England; I was therefore fortunate in being present when one was actually caught on a horse’s back. We were bivouacking late one evening near Coquimbo, in Chile, when my servant, noticing that one of the horses was very restive, went to see what was the matter, and fancying he could distinguish something, suddenly put his hand on the beast’s withers, and secured the Vampire. In the morning, the spot where the bite had been inflicted was easily distinguished from being slightly swollen and bloody. The third day afterwards we rode the horse, without any ill effects.”

Before the introduction of the domesticated quadrupeds, this Vampire Bat probably preyed on the guanaco, or vicugna, for these, together with the puma, and man, were the only terrestrial mammalia of large size, which formerly inhabited the northern part of Chile. This species must be unknown, or very uncommon in Central Chile, since Molina, who lived in that part, says (Compendio de la Historia del Reyno de Chile, vol. i. p. 301,) “that no blood-sucking species is found in this province.”

It is interesting to find that the structure of this animal is in perfect accordance with the habits as above detailed by Mr. Darwin. Among other points, the total absence of true molars, and consequent want of the power of masticating food, is the most remarkable. On the other hand we find the canines and incisors perfectly fitted for inflicting a wound such as described, while the small size of the interfemoral membrane (giving freedom to the motions of the legs,) together with the unusually large size of the thumb and claw, would enable this Bat, as I should imagine, to fix itself with great security to the body of the horse.

I have named this species after M. d’Orbigny, who has added so much to our information on the zoological productions of South America. The _Edostoma cinerea_[2] of that author has evidently a close affinity to the animal here described, and differs chiefly (judging from the drawing published in his work) in the larger size of the ears, in having the nose-leaf free, and the surrounding membrane free and elevated.

As M. d’Orbigny has not yet published the character of his genus _Edostoma_, his figure is my only guide, and in this figure I find the dentition agreeing both with that of the present species, and that of the genus _Desmodus_ of Prince Maximilian,—as would appear from the published descriptions, and figure given by M. de Blainville[3].—The points of distinction between M. d’Orbigny’s animal and the species here described, are not, in my opinion, of sufficient importance to constitute generic characters, I have, therefore, retained the name of Desmodus.

It is desireable perhaps to separate the Blood-sucking Bats from the Insectivorous species, and place them between the latter group and the _Pteropina_, (with which they agree in the large size of the thumb and the rudimentary interfemoral membrane,) under a sectional name, which I propose to call _Hæmatophilini_.

1. PHYLLOSTOMA GRAYI.
PLATE II.

_P. fusco-cinereum; nasûs prosthemate lanceolato; auribus mediocribus,
trago basin versus extùs unidentato; caudâ gracillimâ, brevi, et
membranâ interfemorali inclusâ; verrucâ complanatâ ad apicem menti,
verrucis parvulis circumdatâ._

DESCRIPTION.—This Phyllostoma agrees with the species described by Mr.
J. Gray[4] under the name of Childreni, in having on the lower lip
“an half ovate group of crowded warts,” but is of a much smaller
size, and differs also in colour.

The number of teeth are as follows:—incisors ⁴⁄₄; canines ²⁄₂; molars
5⁵⁄₅–5 = 32. The intermediate pair of incisors of the upper jaw
are large, compressed, and have their apices rounded; the lateral
pair are so minute, that they are scarcely visible without the
assistance of a lens: the four incisors of the lower jaw, are
somewhat crowded, the intermediate pair are slightly larger than
the lateral; they are all deeply notched, and broad at the apex.
The cerebral portion of the skull is much arched and the anterior
portion is depressed. The zygomatic arch is imperfect; see Pl. 35.
figs. 2. The nose-leaf is lanceolate, and of moderate size: the
ears are also of moderate size; they are rounded at the tip and
emarginated on their exterior edge: the tragus is elongated, and
suddenly attenuated towards the apex; the outer margin is deeply
notched towards the base, and very obscurely crenulated above this
notch. The interfemoral membrane is of moderate extent, and
emarginated posteriorly. The tail, which is very slender, is
entirely enclosed by the interfemoral membrane, and the visible
portion appears to consist of but two joints, which together,
measure about two and a half lines in length. The basal half of
the thumb is enclosed in membrane. The fur is soft and rather
long. The general tint of the upper and under parts of the body is
brownish-ash; the hairs on the neck and on the whole of the back
are grey at the base, then white, or nearly so, brownish-ash near
the tip, and whitish at the tip. On the belly the hairs are nearly
of an uniform brown-ash colour, their apices only being whitish.
The ears, nose-leaf, and membrane of the wings, are of a
sooty-black hue.

In. Lines.
Length of head and body 2 0
antibrachium 1 4⅓
thumb (claw included) 0 5½
tibia 0 7
ear 0 7
nose-leaf 0 3⅓
Expanse the wings
of 10 0

Habitat, Pernambuco, Brazil. (_August._)

“This species appeared to be common at Pernambuco (five degrees north of Bahia). Upon entering an old lime-kiln in the middle of the day, I disturbed a considerable number of them: they did not seem to be much incommoded by the light, and their habitation was much less dark than that usually frequented as a sleeping place by these animals.” D.

I have named this species after Mr. John Gray, the author of several extensive memoirs on the order to which it belongs, and to whom I am indebted for valuable assistance whilst comparing this and other species with those contained in the collection of the British Museum.

2. PHYLLOSTOMA PERSPICILLATUM.

I find in Mr. Darwin’s collection, a bat agreeing with the description of M. Geoffroy Saint Hilaire,[5] under the above name, with the exception of a slight difference in the dimensions; I will, therefore, add those of the present specimen, which is a female. It may be observed, that in the animal before me, the tragus of the ear is pointed, and not bifid at the apex, as represented in plate xi of the work quoted.

In. Lines.
Length of head and body 4 0
antibrachium 2 7
nose-leaf 0 5
ear 0 8½
tragus 0 3
tibia 1 0
Expansion the wings
of 16 8

“This bat was caught at Bahia, (latitude 13° S.) on the coast of Brazil, in consequence of its having flown into a room where there was a light. I scarcely ever saw an animal so tenacious of life.” D.

FAMILY—VESPERTILIONIDÆ.

VESPERTILIO CHILOENSIS.
PLATE III.

_V. fuscus: auribus mediocribus; trago elongato, angusto, apicem
versus attenuato; fronte concavo; rostro obtuso; caudâ ad apicem
extremum liberâ._

DESCRIPTION.—In size and colouring, this Bat very closely resembles
the _Vespertilio Pipistrellus_ of Europe; the wings, however, are
considerably broader in proportion; the antibrachium, tibia, and
tail, are each of them longer; the tragus of the ear is also
longer, and narrower.

The muzzle is short and obtuse, and furnished on each side with
numerous hairs, which, when compared with those of other parts,
are of a more harsh nature. The nose is naked at the apex. The
forehead is concave. The ears are narrow, and somewhat pointed,
emarginated externally, and have about four transverse rugæ: the
tragus is elongated, narrow, and pointed, and has the outer margin
very obscurely crenulated. On the chin there is a small wart, from
which spring several stiffish hairs. The tail is about equal to
the body in length, and has the extreme tip free. The fur is
moderately long, and of an uniform rich brown colour, and extends
on to the base of the interfemoral membrane above and below; the
remainder of this membrane is bare, and, together with that of the
wings, of a black colour.

In. Lines.
Length of the head and body 1 8
the tail 1 3½
Expanse the wings
of 8 3
Length of the ear 0 5½
the tragus 0 3⅓
the antibrachium 1 5½
the thumb (claw included) 0 2½
the tibia 0 6¾

Habitat, Chiloe. (_January._)

“This specimen was given me by Lieut. Sulivan, who obtained it amongst the islets on the Eastern side of Chiloe. It is not, I believe, common, nor do the humid and impervious forests of that island appear a congenial habitation for members of this family. It must, however, be observed, that even in Tierra del Fuego, where the climate is still less hospitable, and where the number of insects is surprisingly small, I saw one of these animals on the wing.” D.

FAMILY—NOCTILIONIDÆ.

DYSOPES NASUTUS.

Molossus nasutus _Spix_, Simiarum et Vespertilionum. Braziliensium
species novæ. Nyctinomus Braziliensis.—_Geoffroy_, Annales des
Sciences Naturelles, tom. i. p. 337. pl. 22.

Of this species I find three specimens in Mr. Darwin’s collection—“It is remarkable,” says Mr. Darwin, “for its wide geographical range. I obtained specimens at Maldonado, on the northern bank of the Plata, where it was exceedingly numerous in the attics of old houses, and likewise at Valparaiso in Chile. Molina (vol. i. p. 301.) says another species is found in Chile, of the same size and figure, but of a more orange (_naranjado_) colour.”

Upon comparing the dimensions of several specimens of this species with those given by Temminck in his “Monographie sur le Genre Molosse,” I find that they vary very considerably; I shall therefore be adding some little to the history of the species, by giving the dimensions of those now before me, together with the sexes of the specimens measured, and their localities. In all these specimens there is a series of pointed tubercles along the upper margin of the ears, a character which M. Temminck has omitted to notice. They vary slightly in the intensity of their colouring, but among those brought from Chile I do not perceive any agreeing with that species, or variety, mentioned by Molina as approaching to an orange colour. All the specimens whose dimensions are here given, are preserved in spirit. Two of them are from Maldonado brought by Mr. Darwin; three were collected in Hayti by Mr. J. Hearne, and one is from Chile, whence it was brought by Mr. H. Cuming.

From Chile. Hayti. Hayti.
♀ ♀ ♂
In. Lines. In. Lines. In. Lines.
Length of head and body 2 3 1 11 2 0
of tail 1 1½ 1 2 1 2
of free portion of ditto 0 6½ 0 5 0 6½
Expanse of wings 10 3 9 3 9 8
Length of antibrachium 1 7 1 6 1 6½
of ears 0 5 0 4½ 0 4¾
Width of ditto 0 7 0 6 0 6
Length from nose to eye 0 3½ 0 3 0 3¾

Hayti. Maldonado. Maldonado.
♂ ♀ ♀
In. Lines. In. Lines. In. Lines.
Length of head and body 2 0½ 2 6 2 6
of tail 1 1½ 1 1 1 2
of free portion of ditto 0 5⅓ 0 8¾ 0 8½
Expanse of wings 9 0 10 6 10 2
Length of antibrachium 1 6 1 8 1 9
of ears 0 4½ 0 5⅛ 0 5½
Width of ditto 0 6 0 7 0 7
Length from nose to eye 0 3 0 3½ 0 3½

In all the specimens examined by me, there are two incisors in the upper jaw, and four in the lower, they would therefore, according to M. Temminck, be adult.

FAMILY—CARNIVORA.

1. CANIS ANTARCTICUS.
PLATE IV.

Antarctic Wolf, _Pennant_, History of Quadrupeds, vol. i. p. 257. sp.
165.

Canis Antarcticus, _Shaw_, Gen. Zool. vol. i. pt. 2. p. 331.

——, _Desm._ Mamm. p. 199.

_C. suprà sordidè fulvescenti-brunneus, pilis ad apicem nigris;
lateribus, corporeque subtùs, sordidè flavescenti-fuscis; capite,
auribusque extùs, fusco nigroque adspersis; artubus
flavescenti-fulvis; labiis, gulâ, abdomine imo, femoribusque intùs,
sordidè albis; caudâ ad basin concolore cum corpore, deìn nigrâ,
apice albo._

DESCRIPTION.—This animal is considerably larger than the common fox,
(_Canis Vulpes_, Auct.) and stouter in its proportions, and, in
fact, appears to be intermediate between the ordinary foxes and
the wolves. The tail is much smaller and less bushy than in the
former animals. The contour of the head is wolf-like; the legs,
however, are shorter than in the true wolves; and the tail is
white at the apex, a character common in the foxes.

The fur of the Antarctic Fox is moderately long, and the under fur is
not very abundant, especially as compared with that of the C.
_magellanicus_. This under fur is of a pale brown colour; the
apical portion of each hair is yellowish; the longer hairs are
black at the apex, brown at the base, and annulated with white
towards the apex. In many of these hairs the subapical pale ring
is wanting. On the chest and belly the hairs are of a pale dirty
yellow colour, gray-white at the base, and black at the apex. On
the hinder part of the belly the hairs are almost of an uniform
dirty white. The space around the angle of the mouth, the upper
lip, and the whole of the throat, are white. The chin is
brown-white, or brownish. The basal half of the tail is of the
same colour as the body, and the hairs are of the same texture; on
the apical half of the tail they are of a harsher or less woolly
nature, of a black colour at the apex, and brownish at the base;
those at the extreme point are totally white. The legs are almost
of an uniform fulvous colour; the feet are of a somewhat paler
hue; the hairs on the under side of the hinder feet are brownish,
and the external and posterior parts of the tibiæ are suffused
with the same tint. The hairs on the head are grizzled with black
and fulvous; the former of these colours is somewhat conspicuous,
excepting in the region of the eyes, where the fulvous or
yellowish tint prevails. The muzzle is scarcely of so dark a hue
as the crown of the head. The ears are furnished internally with
long white hairs, externally the hairs are yellowish, with their
apices black; the latter colour is more conspicuous towards the
tip of the ear. The sides of the neck near the ear are of a rich
fulvous hue.

In. Lines.
Length from nose to root of tail 36 0
from tip of nose to ear 7 3
of tail (hair included) 13 0
of ear 2 9
Height of body at shoulders 15 0

Habitat, Falkland Islands.

Three specimens of this animal were brought to England by Capt. FitzRoy; from one of which, the above drawing and description has been made. The earliest notice I can find of this animal is by Pernety,[6] during Bougainville’s voyage, which was undertaken in 1764, for the purpose of colonizing these islands. The strange familiarity of its manner seems to have excited the fears of some of the seamen in Commodore Byron’s voyage (in 1765) in rather a ludicrous manner. Byron says that seals were not the only dangerous animals that they found, “for the master having been sent out one day to sound the coast upon the south shore, reported at his return that four creatures of great fierceness, resembling wolves, ran up to their bellies in the water to attack the people in his boat, and that as they happened to have no fire-arms with them, they had immediately put the boat off in deep water.” Byron adds that, “When any of these creatures got sight of our people, though at ever so great a distance, they ran directly at them; and no less than five of them were killed this day. They were always called wolves by the ship’s company, but, except in their size, and the shape of the tail, I think they bore a greater resemblance to a fox. They are as big as a middle-sized mastiff, and their fangs are remarkably long and sharp. There are great numbers of them upon this coast, though it is not perhaps easy to guess how they first came hither; for these islands are at least one hundred leagues distant from the main. They burrow in the ground like a fox, and we have frequently seen pieces of seals which they have mangled, and the skins of penguins lie scattered about the mouths of their holes. To get rid of these creatures, our people set fire to the grass, so that the country was in a blaze as far as the eye could reach, for several days, and we could see them running in great numbers to seek other quarters.”

“The habits of these animals remain nearly the same to the present day, although their numbers have been greatly decreased by the singular facility with which they are destroyed. I was assured by several of the Spanish countrymen, who are employed in hunting the cattle which have run wild on these islands, that they have repeatedly killed them by means of a knife held in one hand, and a piece of meat to tempt them to approach, in the other. They range over the whole island, but perhaps are most numerous near the coast; in the inland parts they must subsist almost exclusively on the upland geese, (_Anser leucopterus_,) which, from fear of them, like the eider-ducks of Iceland, build only on the small outlying islets. These wolves do not go in packs; they wander about by day, but more commonly in the evening; they burrow holes; are generally very silent, excepting during the breeding season, when they utter cries, which were described to me as resembling those of the _Canis Azaræ_. Spaniards and half-caste Indians, from several districts of the southern portions of South America, have visited these islands, and they all declare that the wolf is not found on the mainland; the sealers likewise say it does not occur on Georgia, Sandwich Land, or the other islands in the Antarctic ocean. I entertain, therefore, no doubt, that the _Canis antarcticus_ is peculiar to this archipelago. It is found both on East and West Falkland, as might have been inferred from the accounts given by Bougainville and Byron, who visited different islands;—I state this particularly, because the contrary has been asserted. I was assured by Mr. Low, an intelligent sealer, who has long frequented these islands, that the wolves of West Falkland are invariably smaller and of a redder colour than those from the Eastern island; and this account was corroborated by the officers of the Adventure, employed in surveying the archipelago. Mr. Gray, of the British Museum, had the kindness to compare in my presence the specimens deposited there by Captain Fitzroy, but he could not detect any essential difference between them. The number of these animals during the last fifty years must have been greatly reduced; already they are entirely banished from that half of East Falkland which lies East of the head of St. Salvador Bay and Berkeley Sound; and it cannot, I think, be doubted, that as these islands are now becoming colonized, before the paper is decayed on which this animal has been figured, it will be ranked amongst those species which have perished from the face of the earth.”—D.

2. CANIS MAGELLANICUS.
PLATE V.

Canis Magellanicus, _Gray_, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of
London, part iv. 1836, p. 88.
Vulpes Magellanica, _Gray_, Magazine of Natural History, New Series,
1837, vol. i. p. 578.

_C. suprà albo nigroque variegatus; lateribus fulvescente fuscoque
lavatis; capite fusco-flavo et albescente adsperso; rostro supernè
obscuriore; auribus, artubusque extùs flavescenti-rufis; corpore
subtùs sordidè flavescenti-albo; pectore fulvo lavato; mento
fuscescente; caudâ fulvescenti-fuscâ, pilis ad apicem nigris, subtùs
pallidiore; plagâ supernè prope basin caudæ, hujusque apice nigris._

DESCRIPTION.—This species is considerably larger than the European
fox; its form is more bulky, the limbs are shorter and stouter in
proportion, the ears are smaller and the tail is more bushy. The
fur is long, thick, and loose. The under fur is very long,
abundant, and of a woolly texture. The back is mottled with black
and white, the former of these colours being predominant; the
hairs on this part are gray at the base, there is then a
considerable space of a pale, or whitish brown colour; next
follows a broad white ring, beyond which the hairs are black. On
the sides of the body the hairs are coloured in the same way,
excepting that the white portion is more extended, and is followed
by a rich yellow-brown, shaded into black as it approaches the
apex of each hair. Hence the general hue of the sides of the body
is paler than that of the back, the brown and white tints being
the more conspicuous. The hairs of the head are annulated with
white, and fulvous, and are black at the tip; the two former
colours are most conspicuous. The chin is brownish. The lower part
of the cheeks, the throat, and the under parts of the body, are of
a dirty yellowish white colour, inclining to buff in certain
parts, especially on the lower part of the neck and chest. The
limbs are of a rich deep fulvous, or yellowish rust colour
externally; the feet and inner sides of the legs are of a paler
hue. On the hinder legs externally, above the heel, is a patch of
bright rust colour; such is also the colour of the ears
externally, and likewise of that portion of the neck behind the
ears. Internally the ears are furnished with long yellowish white
hairs. The tail is long and very bushy; at its base the hairs are
rusty white, towards the middle they are of a paleish rust colour,
and at the apex they are black; there is also a black patch on the
upper part towards the base. The hairs of the tail beneath are
almost entirely of an uniform rusty white colour, those on the
upper side are all tipped with black.

In. Lines.
Length from nose to root of tail 31 0
to base of ear 6 9
of tail (hair included) 17 0
of ear 2 0
Height of body at the shoulders 14 6

Habitat, Chile. (_June._)

“This animal was first brought to Europe by Captain Philip P. King, who obtained it at Port Famine in Tierra del Fuego, where it is common. My specimen was obtained in the valley of Copiapó in the northern part of Chile. The Magellanic fox, therefore, has a range on the western coast of at least 1600 miles, from the humid and entangled forests of Tierra del Fuego, to the almost absolutely desert country of northern Chile. In La Plata, on the Atlantic side of the continent, I believe it is not found.[7] It is mentioned by Molina in his account of the animals of Chile,[8] under the name of Culpeu, which he supposes to be derived from the Indian word “culpem,” signifying madness; for this animal, when it sees a man, runs towards him, and standing at the distance of a few yards, looks at him attentively. He adds, although great numbers are killed, they do not leave off this habit. Molina states that he has repeatedly been a witness of this, and I received nearly similar accounts from several of the inhabitants of Chile: yet I must observe, that the people of the farm-house, where my specimen was killed (after it, together with its female, had destroyed nearly two hundred fowls) bitterly complained of its craftiness. From this bold curiosity in the disposition of the Culpeu, Molina thought that it was the same animal as that described by Byron at the Falkland Islands, but we now know that they are different. The Culpeu burrows holes under ground, often wanders about by day, is very strong and fleet. When riding one day in the valley of Copiapó, accompanied by a half-bred greyhound, I happened to come across one of these foxes; and although the ground was, in the first part of the chase, level, it soon entirely distanced its pursuer. Whilst running, it barked so like a dog, that until it had run some way a-head of the greyhound, I could not tell from which animal the noise proceeded. After the Culpeu had reached the mountains, it made a sudden bend from its course, and returned in a nearly parallel line, but at the base of a steep cliff of rock; it then quietly seated itself on its haunches, and seemed to listen with much satisfaction to the dog, which was running the scent on the mountain side, above its head.”—D.

3. CANIS FULVIPES.
PLATE VI.

Canis fulvipes, _Martin_, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of
London, 1837, p. 11.

_C. suprà niger, albo adspersus, capite lateribusque fuscis, sordidè
albo nigroque adspersis; rostro superiore, mentoque
fusco-nigricantibus; gulâ, labiis superioribus, femoribusque ad
partem anteriorem, sordidè albis; pectore abdomineque
fuscescentibus; auribus externè rufo-castaneis; brachiis internè,
tarsis, digitisque fuscescenti-fulvis; artubus posticis extùs supra
calcem fusco-nigrescentibus; caudæ colore ad basin ut in corpore,
apice nigro._

DESCRIPTION.—This species is considerably less than the common
European fox, (_Canis Vulpes_, Auct.) its weight probably would
scarcely exceed half that of the latter animal. The form of the
body is stout, the limbs are short and rather slender; the head is
also short, and the muzzle is pointed; the ears are of moderate
size. The tail is about equal to half the whole length of the
body, head included; and compared with that of ordinary foxes, is
much less bushy, especially at the base. The general hue of this
animal is very dark; the fur is rather short, and harsh to the
touch; the under fur is abundant, and of a woolly texture. On the
back, all the hairs are of a deep brown colour, annulated with
white near the apex, and black at the apex. When the fur is in its
ordinary position, the brown colour is not seen, and the black and
white produce a grizzled appearance; the black colour, however,
predominates. On the sides of the body each hair is grayish at the
base, then pale brown, near the apex annulated with white, and at
the apex black: the three last mentioned colours are exhibited in
about equal proportions (the fur being in its natural position)
over the haunches and shoulders, but between these two parts, the
brown and white colours are the more conspicuous. The hairs of the
head are coloured in the same way as those of the sides of the
body, excepting that the brown portion of each hair, is replaced
by rusty brown, which gives a rufous hue to this part. The muzzle
and chin are of a sooty brown colour. A dirty white patch is
observable on each side of the muzzle at the apex, and this colour
is extended along the margin of the upper lip on to the lower part
of the cheeks, and over the whole of the throat; all the hairs in
these parts (with the exception of those on the lips) being of a
deep brownish gray colour, with their apical portions only, white.
The ears are covered internally with long yellowish white hairs;
towards, and on the margin of the ears externally, the hairs are
of a buff colour, on the remaining portion of the ears, and on the
sides of the neck, they are of a reddish chestnut hue. The hairs
of the under parts of the body are brown, those near the hinder
legs, and between them, are of a dirty white colour at the apex;
towards the rump they are of a yellowish brown colour. The hairs
of the tail are brown, black at the apex, and annulated with white
near the apex; on the apical portion the hairs are black, and
brown at the base. The fore legs are of a brown colour externally,
internally they are of a brownish fulvous hue; such is also the
colour of the feet. The fore part of the posterior legs is
whitish, and there is a large blackish patch on the outer side,
and extending around the posterior part, above the heel.

In. Lines.
Length from nose to root of tail 24 0
to base of ear 0 4¾
of tail (hair included) 10 0
of ear 2 3½
Height of body at the shoulders 10 6

Habitat, Chiloe. (_December._)

“I killed this animal on the sea-beach, at the southern point of the island; it is considered extremely rare in the northern and inhabited districts. Molina mentions this fox, which he falsely considered as the _C. lagopus_, under the name of the _Payne Gurú_, and he adds, that in the Archipelago of Chiloe, it is found of a black colour. From this circumstance I am induced to believe that the species is confined to these islands.”—D.

4. CANIS AZARÆ.
PLATE VII.

Canis Azaræ, _Pr. Maximilian_, Beiträge zur Naturgeschichte
Braziliens, vol. ii. p. 338.

Agouarachay, _Azara_, Essais sur l’histoire naturelle des Quadrupèdes
de la Province du Paraguay, tom. i. p. 317.

_C. suprà albo nigroque variegatus; lateribus cinerescentibus; capite,
auribus externè, artubusque, cinereo-cinnamominis; mento nigro;
tibiis externis ad basin nigro lavatis; caudâ albescente, suprà
nigro variegatâ, ad apicem nigrâ; spatio pone angulos oris, gutture,
corporeque subtùs albescentibus; fasciis duabus griscescentibus in
pectore plus minusve distinctis._

DESCRIPTION.—Compared with the common fox (_Canis Vulpes_, Auct.), the
present animal is rather smaller, and of a more slender form. Its
limbs are a little longer in proportion; the ears are not so
broad. The tail is not quite so bushy, neither is it so long; the
fur is much longer, and of a harsher nature.