ZOOLOGY. 327 



the confines of Texas, and is somewhat doubtfully referred to the 

 Dasypus novem-cinctus of Linnaeus. 



The Pachyderms have also but a single representative, the Collared 

 Peccary, Dicotyles torquatus, which, it is remarked, " has a much 

 wider range in North America than is supposed by European system- 

 atic writers. It not only occurs through Mexico, but even as far 

 north in the United States as the Red River of Arkansas, in latitude 

 34." 



The Ruminants, however, muster more strongly, being better 

 adapted for residence in the temperate regions of the North. In the 

 first place, we have the Moose, Alee Americana. Then two species 

 of Reindeer are admitted under the titles Rangifer Caribou and R. 

 Grcenlandicus, though it is allowed that their distinctness is question- 

 able. It is highly desirable that accurate investigations should be 

 made as to the difference of these animals inter se, and with the Eu- 

 ropean R. TaranduSj which is said to present somewhat correspond- 

 ing variations. The genus Cervus and its subdivisions are repre- 

 sented by no less than six species, which are said to be all truly 

 different, although the distinctions between Cervus Virglnianus and 

 C. leucurus, and C. macrotus and C. Columbianus, require some fur- 

 ther elucidation. North America contains only two Antelopes, the 

 "Prong-horn" (Antilocapra Americana), and the so-called "Moun- 

 tain-goat" (Haplocerus montanus), and a single sheep, the well- 

 known Big-horn of the Rocky Mountains, Ovis montana. The Musk- 

 ox of the Arctic regions (which, however, does not occur within the 

 limits of the United States), and the Buffalo, Bison Americanus, con- 

 clude the catalogue of North American Ruminants, making a total of 

 14 animals of this order. What a contrast in this respect does North 

 America present to Africa, where more than 60 species of Antelopes 

 alone are already known to occur, and the list is daily increasing ! 

 For, though we may laugh at Buffon's theory as to the animals of 

 America being merely degraded forms of those of the Old World, 

 there can be no question that the " Great Continent " is far more 

 productive of animal forms of a more highly organized structure, and 

 of a nature more adapted to meet the various wants of mankind. 

 Annals and Mag. Nat. Hist. 



FISHES OF NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE. 



At a late meeting of the Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., Prof. Agassiz made 

 the following remarks on a catalogue of the fishes of Jamaica, pre- 

 sented to the Society by the Hon. Richard Hill : 



He regarded it as interesting for purposes of comparison with the 

 species of North America and Europe. It is well known that the 

 fishes of the two sides of the Atlantic are specifically distinct, except 

 a few northern ones, which are identical, not from crossing from one 

 continent to another, but from migrating southward on both shores 

 from the same Arctic centre. As maps are usually drawn, the aver- 

 age temperature of the water for the year is taken as regulating the 

 feographical distribution of fishes ; but, as Prof. Dana has shown in 

 is report on the Crustacea of the U. S. Exploring Expedition, the 

 average of the greatest cold has a more important influence in this 



