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Show 1876.] MR. E. R. ALSTON ON THE GENUS DASYPROCTA. 351 Dasyprocta aguti, Desmarest, Mamm. p. 358 ; F. Cuvier et Geoffroy, M a m m . iii. 3me liv. ; Waterhouse, M a m m . ii. p. 376 ; Wagner, Suppl. Schreb. Saugeth. iv. p. 42. Fur ringed with black and yellow ; rump bright yellow or orange, the long hairs pale yellow at their base, and only obscurely ringed near the tip. Length about 20 inches. Guiana, N. Brazil, E. Peru. The range of the Yellow-rumped Agouti is particularly difficult to make out, as its specific name has been applied to almost every member of the genus. It extends, however, from British Guiana, where Schomburgk* says it is extremely common, through North Brazil, where Natterer collected specimens near the junction of the Madeira and Amazons, to Eastern Peru. In the latter country Von Tschudi says that it inhabits the plains, and does not go up into the mountains like D. fuliginosa. 9. D. PRYMNOLOPHA. Dasyprocta prymnolopha, Wagler, Isis, 1831, p. 619 (descr. orig.) ; Wagner, Suppl. Schreb. Saugeth. iv. p. 46; Waterhouse, Mamm. ii. p. 380. Fur ringed with black and yellow ; nuchal crest and a longitudinal band on the rump black, sides of tbe rump rich golden orange or rufous; the long black hair uniform in colour, or light yellow at the base. Length about 20 inches ; hind foot 3*75. Hab. Guiana. Of the distribution of this most beautiful species I have been unable to learn any thing beyond the fact of its being a native of Guiana. It is probably a more northern race than the last, and may extend into Venezuela. Many examples are now living in the Society's Gardens. 10. D. ACOUCHY. Cavia acouchy, Erxleben, Syst. Reg. An. p. 354 (1777, descr. orig.). Dasyprocta acouchy, Desmarest, M a m m . ii. p. 358 ; Wagner, Suppl. Schreb. Saugeth. iv. p. 48 ; Waterhouse, M a m m . ii. p. 391. Fur ringed with dark brown and rufous, upper parts darker, lower parts and a spot behind each ear bright rufous or yellow. Tail produced, slender, slightly haired. Length about 14 inches, tail 2 inches, hind foot 3 inches. Hab. Guiana, N . Brazil. This little species, easily distinguished from all the rest by its having a complete tail, instead of merely a tuberculous rudiment, is abundant in Guiana and North Brazil; but I have been unable to find any proof of the often repeated assertion that it is also met with in some of the West-Indian Islands. Probably it has been confused with D. cristata. Of the remaining described species, D. croconota, Wagler (Isis * Eeisen in Brit. Guiana, iii. p. 779. |