296 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVEEY. 



in the ancient epochs by three species which have now disappeared ; 

 the hyena of caverns is analogous to the spotted hyena of the Cape 

 of Good Hope. 



In the family of the Felinidce, we should add to the wild-cat, the 

 lynx (?) and lion, which have disappeared from Europe in the historic 

 period, another species related to the leopard (Felis antiqua). 



The numerous order of Rodents appear to contain some extinct 

 species distinguishable from those now living. 



The Elephant is one of the most remarkable of the genera among 

 those which have made a part of the ancient fauna of our period. 

 Their bones arc, with those of the bear, the most characteristic of 

 these Diluvian strata, since they are abundantly scattered over an 

 immense surface of country. The species best known is the mam- 

 moth (Eleplias primigenius). Of other bones may be mentioned 

 those of the African elephant (E. Africanus). The existence of 

 some other species is contested by some anatomists and admitted by 

 others. 



The great Rhinoceros with vaived nostrils (R. tichorhinus), less 

 widely diffused than the elephant, and probably also one or two 

 species of the same genus, are striking examples of those races which 

 have disappeared. 



It is the same with the Hippopotami, of which it is thought we may 

 admit the prior existence of many species now extinct. 



The horse of Pezenas appears to be another species different from 

 the one mentioned above as related to the existing horse. 



The genus Cervus has been numerous from the commencement of 

 the Diluviau epoch, for to the species new living, and which, as I 

 have said, existed then, is to be added the beautiful giant stag of 

 the peat bogs of Ireland (Cervus euryceros), the great deer of the 

 Somnie (Cervus darna giganteus), and many species from caverns. 



Among the other species of ruminants lost from our fauna, it is 

 necessary to mention the Antelope Christoli, M. de Serres, the Di- 

 chotoma, Gervais, and Ibex Cebennarum, Gervais. 



I will not add the Bos primigenius, because it was seen alive by 

 Julius Caesar. 



I have not found among birds or reptiles any species to add with 

 certainty to this list. 



We shall find only a few in this category among the terrestrial in- 

 vertebrata. The marine deposits on the borders of the Mediterra- 

 nean contain some mollusks of lost species, but their numbers are 

 small compared with species still living. 



We thus see that the fauna originating at the period which suc- 

 ceeded the Tertiary epoch has been successively deprived of many 

 remarkable species. This gradual disappearance may have pro- 

 ceeded from many natural causes. First, the climate, cooling very 

 much, as the formation of great glaciers proves (Glacial period), would 

 not be favorable to any one of them, especially to the great pachy- 

 derms, the congeners of which characterize in our day the torrid 

 zone. Still more, as I have said elsewhere, admitting the presence 

 of man from the origin of the latter period, we may, with much prob- 

 ability, attribute to him the destruction of a part of the species. If 

 we examine the list which I have given, we shall see that, aside from 



