Mamíferos descritos na Poranduba maranhense de Frei Francisco dos Prazeres

Abstract

The contribution of the Franciscan priest Francisco dos Prazeres to our knowledge of the natural history, geography, history and ethnography of Maranhão in the early XIXth Century appeared in the Revista do Instituto Histórico e Geographico do Brazil in 1891. The original manuscript was donated to the Instituto's library in 1843, and disapeared. The printed text was a copy, without the orignal map, donated by Colonel Francisco Manoel da Cunha Júnior. Fray Francisco was a corresponding member, and a better historian and geographer than a zoologist. This paper summarizes the available information on the zoological expeditions that explored Maranhão. A list of all mammals described in the Poranduba Maranhense is provided, followed by the identification of the species.