M. Lund on Fossil Mammifera discovered in Brazil. 425 



i. e. that notwithstanding their colossal dimensions they sought their 

 food in trees. 



Pachydermata. 



This family v/as more numerous at those times than at present. 

 M. Lund mentions a species of Tapir, four species of Pecan, and 

 moreover a Mastodon, equaling in size that of an Elephant. 



RUMINANTIA. 



The family of Ruminants, which is represented in this country by 

 the sole genus Cervus, possessed at this ancient period, besides the 

 ^enus Cervus, of which two fossil species are met with, an antelope 

 and two generic types which have no representatives ; they are di- 

 stinguished by the names of Auchenia* and Leptotherium. M. Lund 

 is acquainted with two species of each of these genera, 



Febje. 



The Carnivora were not less numerous or varied in those times 

 than the Ruminants. There were three species of Felis, two species 

 of Canis, a bear, and what is most remarkable, a species belonging 

 to the genus Cynailurus of Wagler, or Guepardus of M. Dumortier, 

 which is peculiar to the old world, and which at that period occurrt3d 

 in the new world. M. Lund also notices a jackal, which will con- 

 stitute a new genus under the name of Speothos, one species of Coati, 

 another of the genus Eirara, and lastly, what will appear most sur- 

 prising, a hyaena, which to his great astonishment he found with re- 

 mains of Pacas, of Agoutis, of Pecari, of Megalonyx, and other Ame- 

 rican forms. The species which he calls H. Neogcea equals in size 

 the largest living species of hyaena. 



Marsupialia, 



The diluvian deposits of the caverns of Brazil are filled with frag- 

 ments of Marsupials of the genus Didelphys, amongst which seven 

 species may be distinguished, five of which bear more or less analogy 

 to recent species of this country, while the two others exhibit not a 

 trace of resemblance. A new genus will arrange itself by the side of 

 Didelphys which appears to have been of the size of a Jaguar, and 

 seems to represent the great species Dasyurus of New Holland. M. 

 Lund assigns the name of Tkylacotheriumf to it. 



Glires. 



This family was not less remarkable than the former by the va- 



* The term Auchenia, having already been applied by Illiger to the ex- 

 isting Llamas, and Vicugnas, cannot be retained for the extinct genus dis- 

 covered by Dr. Lund. — Edit. 



f This term has been applied to one of the extinct Marsupial genera of 

 the StonesScld oolite. See the present volume of* Annals', p. GL — Edit. 



Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol. 3. No. 19. Aug. 1839. 2 ii 



