314 MAMMALS. 



Whilst these are the regions, I think, which the distribution of Mammals (aided by some slight 

 collateral help, drawn by anticipation from that of other classes) shows to exist, there are some 

 facts in distribution which indicate a more extended connexion of the different lands. A former 

 northerly land communication between the western coast of North Ajnerica and Northern Asia, by 

 which such animals as the Spermoi^hiles, Moose, Reindeer, and Glacial Hares, may have passed, 

 seems clear beyond doubt ; but a more southerly one (probably at an earlier date) may also have 

 existed. The occurrence of the Japanese Mole Urotrichus, both in Japan and on the oj^posite 

 shore of California, is additional testimony in favour of this view. It cannot be expected that 

 in such doubtfid cases any great number of instances should be found among Mammals. They are 

 comparatively so few in number, that a single instance should have more weight than many 

 examples drawn from classes of animals which are more numerous in species. But we shall 

 by-and-bye find that other similar instances are to be met with amongst these too. 



In like manner, there are afiinities indicating former continuity between South America and the 

 Indian Archipelago, subsisting, perhaps or ever the Andes had begun to rise above the level of the 

 surrounding land. It is difficult to explain the occurrence of the Tapir in both in any other way, or 

 the use of the blow-pipe by the natives of New Guinea and the tribes of the Amazons on any 

 other footing. The facies of the Fauaa of the Galapago Islands speaks of the former extension 

 of the continent at least as far as these Islands. To the same period and same access may be 

 referable the origin of the Monkeys in South America. Besides the argument from oi^portunity 

 of passage, the New- world Monkeys have rather more resemblance to the Indian than the African 

 species. 



There are also some affinities between the species of Western Africa and the coast of Brazil 

 which point to some such continuity between these countries. There is the remarkable instance 

 of what may almost be called a South- American Old-world Porcupine (Aulacodus Swinderianus) 

 in West Africa ; of the Petromys typicus, another Rodent, belonging to the South- American type, 

 in South Africa ; and of the Ant-eater and Orycteropus, the Manis and Dasypus, found respectively 

 in these countries. I have elsewhere given some striking instances of new species of Coleoptera 

 from Old Calabar, very closely allied to Brazilian species.* Mr. Fry has detected other instances 

 of a like nature in species from Lagos ; and Mr. Bates informs me that he is satisfied that similar 

 affinities exist in some of the Lepidoptera of the two opposite coxmtries. It is difficidt to imagine how 

 these coincidences can be accounted for in any other way than by continuity of land, or con- 

 tiguity so near as to be equivalent to continuity at some former time. 



There are other topics which, if they had not been already discussed in the progress of this volume, 

 ought to have been treated of here, but to do so would merely be to occupy the reader's time with a 

 twice-told tale. With my views on the submerged Pacific Continent ; on the sejjaration of the Indian 

 region from the Australian ; the divisions of Australia ; the submerged Africano-Indian Continent ; 

 the former jimction of Madagascar to Africa ; the possible existence of land between South-west 

 Australia and the Cape of Good Hope, the Miocene Atlantis and kindred topics, the reader who has 

 followed me thus far is familiar. 



* " Trans. Linu. Soc." xxiv. p. 440. 1862. 



