196 



GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. 



[PART iv. 



and Soricictis from the Upper Miocene, the former as large as a 

 panther ; Tylodon, of small size, from the Upper Eocene ; and 

 Palceonyctis from the Lower Eocene, also small and showing a 

 very great antiquity for this family, if really belonging to it. 



FAMILY 26. PKOTELID^E. (1 Genus, 1 Species.) 

 GENERAL DISTRIBUTION. 



The curious Proteles or Aard-wolf, a highly-modified form of 

 hysena, approaching the ichneumons, and feeding on white 

 ants and carrion, is peculiar to South Africa. 



FAMILY 27. HY^NID^E. (1 Genus, 3 Species.) 



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION. 



The Hyaenas are characteristically Ethiopian, to which region 

 two of the species are confined. The third, Hycena striata, 

 ranges over all the open country of India to the foot of the 

 Himalayas, and through Persia, Asia Minor, and North Africa. 

 Its fossil remains have been found in France. 



Extinct Species. The cave hyaena (H. spelcea) occurs abun- 

 dantly in the caverns of this country and of Central Europe, 

 and is supposed to be most nearly allied to the H. crocuta of 

 South Africa. Another species is found in some parts of France. 

 The earliest known true hyaenas occur in the Pliocene formation 

 in France, in the Eed Crag (Older Pliocene) of England, and in 

 the Upper Miocene of the Siwalik hills. In the Miocene 

 period in Europe, quite distinct genera are found, such as 

 Hycenidis and Lycoena from the Upper Miocene of Greece; 



