HIGH SCHOOL ZOOLOGY. 179 



other Americaa Antelope is the Rocky Mountain goat [Haplocerus 

 americanus). A well-known European genus is the Alpine chamois 

 ( Rupicapra), while the gazelle (Antilope dorcas) is a common North 

 African species. Some of the African antelopes approach the next sub- 

 family, the oxen (Bovina), in their proportions. This group embraces 

 the domestic ox (which includes various races probably derived from 

 several wild species), the hixmped zebu (Bos indicus) and two or three 

 other Indian species. Other genera are the Old World buffalo (Bubalus), 

 the European and American bison, the yak of Thibet (Porplmgus) and 

 the musk-ox of the Arctic regions (Oribos moschatm). A third swh- 

 iamily (Ovhia) embraces the sheep, which are found wild on high moun- 

 tain ranges, e.g., the bighorn (0. montana) of the Rocky Mountains and 

 the Argali of Central Asia, also the ibexes (Capra ihex) and goats (C. 

 hircus). Our domestic sheep are probably derived from one of the 

 Asiatic forms . 



33. We must now turn to the Unguiculate orders, looking in 

 the first place somewhat more closely into the classification of 

 the Camivora, one form of which has been already studied. 



Of the six families recognized in this order, the Ursklce is least special- 

 ised ; it embraces plantigrade forms, w^th a dentition in which the sectorial 

 teeth are not prominent, and which are frequently omnivorous. Examples 

 of these are the kinkajou of Brazil with its prehensile tail {Cercoleptes), 

 the racoon (Proajon lotor) and the true bears ( Ursus) . Nearest to these 

 are the badgers ( Taxidea) and skunks (Mephitis), which form a plantigrade 

 section of the weasel family (Mustelidce), to which there also l)elong 

 the chief fur-bearing animals of North America, the martens {Mustela), 

 minks and ermines (Putoriu.t), wolverines (GhIo), otters (Lutra), and sea- 

 otters (Enhi/dra). The third family (Virenidce), embracing the civet 

 cats and the ichneumons {Herpestes), is chiefly an Old World family, as is 

 that of the Tlyoinidce, but the dogs {Canidoe) and cats (Felidoe) are abund- 

 antly represented on both continents, the former embracing the dogs, 

 foxes, wolves and jackals ; the latter, the lions, tigers, leopards, lynxes 

 and cats of the Old^ World, and the pumas, ounces and lynxes of the 

 New. 



34. A veiy interesting branch of the Carnivora is that of the 

 Pinilipedia often placed in an independent order, and much 

 modified in accordance with their aquatic mode of life. There 

 is a marked tendency in this group, which contains the Seals, 



