CHAPTER X 

 DISTRIBUTION OF THE ORDER CARNIVORA 



Section I. — Inteoductory Remarks 



The true Carnivora are widely distributed over the world, 

 and occur, in fact, everywhere from north to south, 

 with the exception of the Australian Region, where their 

 functions in nature are performed by the flesh-eating 

 Marsupials. The Polar Bear probably ranges farther 

 north than any other species of mammal, while the 

 southernmost point of the South American Continent is 

 inhabited by the Magellanic Dog. In the Antarctic Seas 

 the Carnivora are also represented by several species of 

 Seals, but no land-mammal has yet been found on the 

 Antarctic Continent. 



The Carnivora are very numerous, nearly 300 species 

 belonging to seventy genera being usually recognized. 

 They are usually divided by modern authorities into 

 four well-marked sections : (1) the iEluroid, or Cat-like 

 Carnivores, belonging to four families; (2) the Cynoid, 

 or Dog-like Carnivores, consisting of the single family 

 Canidte; (3) the Arctoid, or Bear-like Carnivores, with 

 three families; and finally, the Pinnipeds, or Marine 

 Carnivora, with three families. We will take these in 

 order, pointing out the most noticeable features in the 

 distribution of the principal and best-known forms in each 



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