Introduction 3 



The Persian fallow-deer is, however, solely an inhabitant of the 

 Mediterranean tract. Prongbuck in the western hemisphere may con- 

 sequently be regarded, so far as distribution is concerned, as representing the 

 fallow-deer of the eastern hemisphere. 



When South America is reached we come to a fiuna differinij in toto 

 from that of the northern half of the New World ; differing, in fict, more 

 from the fiunas of all the rest of the world, save Australia, than do the 

 latter from one another. This great distinction between the fauna of 

 South America and that of the rest of the world might, prima facie, be 

 regarded as affording greater reason for devoting a special volume of this 

 series to that country than for assigning one to Africa. But, apart trom 

 the vast numerical superiority of the African game fiuna over that ot 

 South America (which is itself a sufficient justilication for the course taken), 

 there is one very strong reason for treating of the game animals ot the 

 latter country in connection with those of North America. 



The real peculiarity of the fauna of South America is to be found in 

 the presence there of such creatures as sloths, ant-eaters, armadillos, 

 monkeys, marmosets, and a host of extinct animals, some ot which were 

 allied to the foregoing, while others were altogether peculiar. But the 

 sportsman has nothing to do with any of these. The animals ot South 

 America by which he is alone attracted are the deer, guanaco, peccaries, 

 tapirs, jaguars, pumas, bears, etc. And, as a matter of tact, all these 

 animals are of a northern type, being more or less closely allied to the 

 living fauna of North America or its forerunner, and having nothing 

 whatever to do with the original South American indigenous tauna. 

 For a long period South America appears to have been isolated from the 

 northern half of the New World, and it was not till the two were com- 

 pletely united by the isthmus of Panama that these northern types were 

 enabled to travel southwards. 



When they reached South America most of the animals became more 



