CHAP. XIV.] THE CAT'S IIEXICOLOGY. 499 



no rattle-snakcs. Crocodiles exist, but neither alligators nor gavials. 

 There are no efts, but there are Opldomor^yha, and many frogs and 

 toads, Dadyldhra being tlie most remarkable of the latter. Amongst 

 fishes, we have the curious ganoid, Polypterus, and one form of 

 Lcpidosiren. 



This general zoological region agrees with the corresponding feline 

 region, save that the latter is less distinct from that part of the con- 

 tinent which is north of the Sahara, and has nothing to do with the 

 islands above named. Madagascar, however, is remarkable, not 

 only for the absence of cats, but for possessing a very peculiar 

 animal population of lemurs and lemur-like forms, and as the 

 home of that exceptionally cat-like Yiverrine, the Foussa — Cvypto- 

 prodafo'ox. 



The Neo-tropical regiok of general zoological gcograpli}^ comprises 

 America south of the tropic of Cancer, together with the West Indies, 

 and includes the greatest forest region in the world. It has a number 

 of peculiar monkeys and bats, with two river-dolphins found nowhere 

 else. It has also the coati-mondi, Idnkajou, and tapir ; but there 

 are no elephants, rhinoceroses, horses, asses, or hippopotamuses. 

 There are peccaries also instead of hogs. Altogether devoid of 

 antelopes, goats, sheep, oxen, or camels, there are deer and llamas. 

 Eodents abound, and there are many absolutely peculiar, such as 

 the paca, the viscacha, the chinchilla, the guinea-pig, and its 

 gigantic cousin, the capybara, preyed on by the jaguar. But the 

 neo-tropical region is remarkable for the presence of a group of 

 animals found nowhere else whatever. This is the group comprising 

 the sloths, ant-eaters, and armadillos. Opossums also are very 

 numerous, and of many species of different sizes, and seem to take 

 the place of the insect-eating beasts {Insedivom), which are here 

 conspicuous by their absence. Amongst Birds, we have, in the first 

 place, the beautiful humming-birds, with toucans, jacamars, mot- 

 mots, todies, macaws, curassows, and tinamous. Specially note- 

 worthy, also, are the American ostrich, or rhea, the hoazin {Opis- 

 thocomus), the cariama, and the horned-senamer {Palamedea). 



There are very many reptiles, and amongst them are both croco- 

 diles and alligators, but no gavials ; an extensive family of Iguana- 

 like lizards, the ameiva and its allies, but no chameleon. There are 

 many snakes, including the boa-constrictor and rattle- snakes, but no 

 cobras, or true vipers. Batrachians are represented by Ophiomorpha 

 and many frogs and toads, including the celebrated Tipa of Suri- 

 nam. A few efts also exist in the mountains towards the north. 

 Amongst fishes may be mentioned the largest fresh-water fish in the 

 world {Siidis gigas), the electric eel, the Trygon family of rays, and 

 a Lepidosiren. The very numerous carp family, however, is here 

 unrepresented. 



Thus this rich general zoological region agrees with the South 

 American feline region save that the latter extends further north, 

 while the former embraces the West Indian islands which are 

 excluded from the South American cat region. 



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