IV.

FAUNA.

In regard to the _fauna_, there are in Costa Rica about one hundred and twenty-one species of mammalia, of which ten are domesticated and four of _Mus_ introduced, leaving 107 as indigenous to Costa Rica.

There are only a few species peculiar to Costa Rica, and also but a small number peculiar to Central America, among which are the _Tapirus dowi alston_ and three species of monkeys. About one-fifth of the total number also belong to South America and one-seventh to North America. The rest are found as well in North as in South America. With respect to the avifauna, there are 725 known species. This great variety of the avifauna is due to especial climatic conditions, to the very rich flora, to the geographical position between two oceans and to the vicinity of so many islands of the Caribbean Sea.

It is composed of 67 Neoarctic species, which are also found in the north of Mexico; of 247 Neotropical or South American species, of 260 autochthonous or exclusively Central American species, and 128 newly described species which live as well in the northern as in the southern continent. The rest, comprising 23 species, have a doubtful origin. The best singing birds are the Gilguero, Yigüerro, Toledo, Mozotillo, Cacique, Mongita, Comemaiz, Setillero and Agüillo.

There are over 130 species of _Reptilia_ and _Batrachia_ in Costa Rica. Those known and described are 36 _Batrachia_, 28 _Lacertilia_, 60 _Ophidia_ and 6 _Testudinata_. Poisonous snakes are the Toboba, Bocaracá, Oropel, Terciopelo and Cascabel.

Costa Rica is also very rich in _Fishes_. Those in the Pacific are almost entirely different from those of the Atlantic Ocean. Also its tributary waters have more varied species than those of the Atlantic slope.

In correspondence with the varied topographical, climatological, and botanical conditions of Costa Rica is also the _invertebrate fauna_. And here the National Museum, under Mr. Anastasio Alfaro, and the “Instituto fisico geografico Nacional.” under Professor H. Pittier, are doing equally excellent work in bringing them to our knowledge, as they have done like service in other branches of Natural History.

The most interesting species of the fauna in Costa Rica among the mammalia are the monkeys (_Mycetes palliatus_, _Ateles geoffroyi_, and _Cebus hypoleucus_), the tigre (_Felis onca_), marrigordo (_Felis pardalis_), puma (_Felis concolor_), the coyote (_Canis latrans_), tigrillo (_Urocyon cinereo_), pisote (_Nasua narica_), martilla (_Cercoleptes caudivolvulus_), comadreja (_Mustela brasiliensis_), chulomuco or tolumuco (_Galictis barbara_), Zorro hediondo (_Conepatus mapurito_), nutria or perro de agua (_Lutra felina_), manati or vaca marina (_Trichecus australis_), danta (_Elasmognathus bairdii_ and _E. Dowi_), salimo (_Dicotyles tajacú_) cari blanco (_Dicotyles labiatus_), venado (_Dorcelophus clavatus_), cabro de monte (_Mazama temama_), ardillas (_Sciurus hypopyrrhus_, _Sc. æstuans hoffmanni_, _Sc. Alfari_), puerco espino (_Synetheres mexicanus_), guatusa (_Dasyprocta isthmica_, _D. punctata_), tepeizcuintle (_Coelogenys paca_), conejo (_Lepus graysoni_, _L. gabbi_), perico ligero (_Bradypus castaneiceps_), perezoso (_Choloepus hoffmanni_), armado de zopilote (_Dasypus gymnurus_), armadillo (_Tatusia novemcincta_), oso hormiguero (_Myrmecophaga jubata_), oso colmeno or tejon (_Myrmecophaga tetradactyla_), serafin de platanar (_Cyclothorus didactylus_), zorro pelon (_Didelphis marsupialis aurita_), zorro isi (_Marmosa cinerea_) and zorrito de platanar (_Marmosa murina_).

Among the birds the following may be mentioned, following the enumeration of José C. Zeledón: The sensontle (_Mimus gilous_), the jilguero (_Melanops_), the yigüerro (_Turdus grayi_), the picudos (_Cæreba cyanea_ and _C. lucida_), the rualdo (_Chlorophonia callophrys_), the caciquita (_Euphonia elegantissima_), the monjita fina (_Euphonia affinis_), and other species of _Euphonia_; further pipra mentalis, la viuda (_Tanagra cana_), el cardenal (_Pyranga leucoptera_ and _P. rubra_), cyanospiza, sps., alcalde mayor (_Rhamphocœlus_) the oropéndula (_Ocyalus waglieri_ and _O. montezumæ_), the choltote or trupial (_Icterus pectoralis_ and _I. giraudi_), the rajon (_Cotinga amabilis_), colibris or gorriones (_Trochilidæ_), the quetzal (_Pharomacrus costaricensis_), resplandor (_Muscivora mexicana_), the curré (_Ramphastus carinatus_), the quioro (_R. tocard_), the curré verde (_Aulacorhamphus cæruleigularis_), carpintero (_Campephilus guatemalensis_ and _Centurus hoffmanni_), the lapas rojas and lapas verdes (_Ara militaris_ and _Chryosotis diademata_, _C. guatemalæ_ and _C. auripalliata_), the periquitos (_Conurus petzii_ and _Brotogerys tovi_).

Further mention is made of the aguila (_Trasætus harpyia_), camaleon (_Falco sparverius_), carga-hueso (_Polyborus cheriway_), the rey de zopilote (_Gyparchus papa_), the zopilote (_Catharista atrata_) and the zonchiche (_Cathartes aura_). To these may be added the tortolita (_Columbigallina passerina_), the pavon (_Crax globicera_), the pava (_Penelope cristata_), pava negra (_Chamæpetes unicolor_), the codorniz (_Ortyx leylaudi_) and chirraxua (_Denitortyx leucophrys_); still further, the martin peña (_Ardea virescens_) and other garza (_Tigrisoma cabanisi_, _Nycticorax americanus_, _Gallina aquatica_, _Eurypyga major_), zarzetas (_Numenius_ and _Totanus_); also the pijijes (_Totanus flavipes_ and _Charadrius vociferus_), the patillo (_Colymbus dominicus_), the piche (_Dendrocigna autumnalis_), pelicanos and alcatraz (_Pelecanus_), etc.

We have further to mention the great turtles from both oceans, the (_Nacar de perlas_) or pearl shells from Golfos Dulce and Nicoya, the oysters from Puntarenas, the purple snail (_Murex_), also sponges, corals, etc.