THE MAGAZINE 



OF 



NATURAL HISTORY 



JUNE, 1840. 



Art. I. — View of the Fauna of Brazil, anterior to the last Geologi- 

 cal Revolution. By Dr. Lund. 



(Continued from page 2X3.) 



Second Order, ACLEIDOTA. 

 First Family, Ruminantia. 



Without doubt, one of the most remarkable phenomena con- 

 nected with the geographical distribution of the class of Mam- 

 malia, is to be found in the very unequal apportionment of 

 the genera of ruminants in the warmer regions of the two 

 great continents. While Africa and Asia possess all the 

 several genera belonging to this family, the new world pos- 

 sesses only one of its members, ^. e. the genus Cervus, together 

 with the single sub-group of Camelus. The latter being 

 entirely confined to the mountain chain of the western coast, 

 there remains only the single genus Cervus for the whole 

 vast extent of the South American plains, with their subordi- 

 nate ranges of hills. This poverty of genera in the family 

 Ruminantia, did not characterize the ancient fauna of this 

 region ; for besides the genus Cervus, I have discovered two 

 others belonging to that period. The fossil remains that I 

 possess of the genus Cervus, may be referred to two species, 

 of which one is about the size of Cervus simplicicornis. 111., 

 the other, nearer to Cerv. campestris. The genus Antilope 

 has left remains of one species, Aiit. Maquinensis, as large 

 as a buck, with short bow-shaped horns, curved backwards. 

 It was a gregarious animal, like its congener, which is now 

 Vol. IV.— No. 42. n. s. 2 h 



