254 VIEW OF THE FAUNA OF BRAZIL 



Among the immense quantity of remains referrible to the 

 latter genus, I can make out at the least four species, very 

 distinct from each other, and equally so from the two recent 

 species, one of the fossil nearly doubling in size either of 

 the recent. 



But it seems that a third genus of this family formerly 

 inhabited this district. I have found the dorsal vertebrcB of 

 a large animal, which, both in form and size, agree with 

 those of the elephant. The peculiar shape of these bones 

 renders it impossible to confound them with those of any 

 other large animal belonging to either the extinct Tardi- 

 grada, or to the existing Pachydermata. At the same time, 

 as I am aware that the bones of the Mastodon have been 

 discovered in Brazil, and as I have not the means of ascer- 

 taining how nearly the vertebrae of this animal resemble 

 those of the elephant, I am willing for the present to sup- 

 pose the fossils I have found may belong to the Mastodon ; 

 partly because I do not wish to insert any doubtful animal in 

 this catalogue ; and partly because I feel it would be wrong 

 to build so important an hypothesis as the former existence 

 of the elephant in South America, upon any but the surest 

 foundation. I should, perhaps, remark, that the bones I have 

 hitherto obtained of this animal, differ in their external ap- 

 pearance from all the other fossil bones I possess : and rather 

 resemble the partly decomposed bones of the recent period. 

 They are also the only bones that have not been dug out of 

 the diluvial soil of the caves, under my own eyes; but were 

 found lying loose upon it. It will be remembered that I have 

 endeavoured to account for this circumstance in a previous 

 part of my communication ; to which I therefore refer. 



We thus see that the family Pachydermata was richer 

 formerly than now, both in genera and species, and also that 

 it appeared under more colossal forms. 



Third Family, Ferm. 



At the head of this family naturally stands the genus Felis, 

 which, notwithstanding the number of its species, yet con- 

 stitutes one of the most natural and best defined genera in 

 the whole class of Mammalia. The himting leopard (Fells 

 jubata, Linn., Cynailurus, Wagl.), which differs from the 

 rest of the Fetes in many essential characters, has very pro- 

 perly been formed into a separate genus. Its claws are not 

 retractile ; it is gregarious, and of a mild disposition, so 

 much so, that it is frequently tamed, and employed in the 

 chase. But as a remarkable contrast to this, its dental sys- 

 tem is upon a more murderous plan than that of the true 



