7© THE GEOGEAPHY OF MAMMALS 



extensive distribution, ranging from the highlands of 

 Ecuador and Peru, along the Andes, to the open plains of 

 Patagonia ; while the Vicugna (L. vicugna), which is a 

 somewhat smaller animal, is found only in Ecuador, Peru, 

 and Bolivia. 



In addition to the Lamas, this Sub-region possesses a 

 species of thickly haired mountain Tapir, differing from 

 the lowland forms, and two or three peculiar Deer, of the 

 sub-genus Furcifer, which are likewise densely furred. A 

 third diminutive deer found in Chili is distinguished from 

 Cariacus, the ordinary American form of deer, by ana- 

 tomical characters, and belongs to a special genus, Pudua. 

 A second species of this form (P. mcphistopheles) from the 

 highlands of Ecuador has lately been described by Mr. De 

 Winton. 



The Rodents of the Patagonian Sub-region almost all 

 belong to the Hystricomorphine section of the Order. 

 Amongst them are the Chinchillas (ChincJtilla and Lagi- 

 dium), noted for their delicate fur, the Viscacha (Lago- 

 stomus), and the Patagonian Cavy (Dolichotis). Out of the 

 eighteen genera of this division known to occur in the 

 Patagonian Sub-region, ten are restricted to it. 



Of the carnivorous Mammals of this Sub-region, one of 

 the most interesting is the Spectacled Bear of the Andes 

 (TJrsus oratus), which affords an instance of that rare 

 phenomenon in nature "discontinuous distribution," the 

 nearest allied species of bear (the black bear of North 

 America) only coming as far south as Mexico. The 

 presence of a bear in the Andes can only be explained by 

 the supposition that the ancestral form migrated south- 

 wards along the line of the Cordilleras, but has died out in 

 the intermediate district. The Bats of the Patagonian 



