FAUNA OF THE POST-PLIOCENE. 



3 6l 



Lastly, the so-called Cave-lion (Felis spelcea], long supposed 

 to be a distinct species, has been shown to be nothing more 



Fig. 269. Skull of Hyffna spelaa, one-fourth of the natural 

 Post- Pliocene, Europe. 



than a large variety of the existing Lion (Felis leo]. This 

 animal inhabited Britain and Western Europe in times pos- 

 terior to the Glacial period, and was a contemporary of the 

 Cave-hyaena, Cave-bear, Woolly Rhinoceros, and Mammoth. 

 The Cave-lion also unquestionably survived into the earlier 

 portion of the human period in Europe. 



The Post-Pliocene deposits of Europe have further yielded 

 the remains of numerous Rodents such as the Beaver, the 

 Northern Lemming, Marmots, Mice, Voles, Rabbits, &c. to- 

 gether with the gigantic extinct Beaver known as the Trogon- 

 therium Cuvieri (fig. 270). The great Castoroides Ohioensis of 

 the Post-Pliocene of North 

 America is also a great ex- 

 tinct Beaver, which reached 

 a length of about five feet. 

 Lastly, the Brazilian bone- 

 caves have yielded the re- 

 mains of numerous Rodents 

 of types now characteristic 

 of South America, such as 

 Guinea-pigs, Capybaras, tree- 

 inhabiting Porcupines, and 

 Coypus. 



The deposits just alluded to have further yielded the 

 remains of various Monkeys, such as Howling Monkeys, 

 Squirrel Monkeys, and Marmosets, all of which belong to the 

 group of Quadrumana which is now exclusively confined to 



Lower jaw i 

 Cuvieri, 'one-fourth of the natural size. Post- 

 Pliocene, Britain. 



