ETHIOPIAN REGION 99 



the Giraffes (Giro/fa) represented by one species, which is the type 

 of a family, and is unknown elsewhere. Equally characteristic are 

 the Hippopotami, which likewise form the type of a family, while 

 the Pigs are represented by the Wart-hogs (Pliacochcerus) and the 

 River-hogs, forming an aberrant group of the genus Sus. The Oxen 

 (Bos) are represented by Buffaloes, but there are no species of true 

 Oxen or Bison. The Antelopes attain an extraordinary develop- 

 ment, the number of species being estimated at from eighty to ninety, 

 which are referred to a large number of genera, although several of 

 these are more or less ill defined. Most of these genera are peculiar 

 to this region, but the Gazelles (Gazella) are also found in the desert 

 regions of other parts of the Old World, and Oryx ranges into Arabia 

 and Persia. In contrast to this abundance of Antelopes is the total 

 absence of the Deer family, or Cervidce, which are so characteristic 

 of the Paleearctic and Oriental regions. The Chevrotains or 

 Tragulidce are, however, represented by Dorcatherium. 1 In the 

 Perissodactyle section we may notice the presence of two species 

 of Rhinoceros, both furnished with two horns, and distinguished from 

 those of the Oriental region by the absence of incisor and canine 

 teeth. The Horse family (Equidce) is also represented by several 

 species, and includes the peculiar group of Zebras, characterised 

 by their beautifully striped skins. Of other Ungulates the Ele- 

 phants, which, like the Rhinoceroses, are now peculiar to the 

 Ethiopian and Oriental regions, have one species, which is widely 

 different from its Indian congener. The Hyraces are mainly 

 characteristic of this region, although one species occurs in Syria 

 and Palestine. The Carnivora include some forms like the Lion, 

 Leopard, and Jackal, common to the Oriental region, but likewise 

 include certain peculiar types like the Earth-wolf (Proteles), which 

 may be regarded as the type of a distinct family, and two species 

 of Hysenas, which are referred by some authorities to a distinct genus 

 (Crocuta). There is also the Hunting-dog (Lycaon), and the peculiar 

 group of Foxes known as the Fennecs, together with Otocyon. Bears, 

 Wolves, and true Foxes are absent ; but Civets, etc., are abundant, 

 although not characteristic of the region. The Primates yield several 

 very characteristic types, such as the Gorilla and the Chimpanzee 

 (Anthropopithecus) among the Simiidce, which, with the exception of 

 the Orangs of Borneo, are the only existing large man-like Apes, 

 and the group of Dog-faced Baboons (Cynocephalus) in the Cercopithe- 

 cidce. The genus Colobus is also a group of the latter family, 

 absolutely characteristic of the region. Lemurs, again, occur on 

 the continent of Africa, but the great development of this group 

 is in the adjacent island of Madagascar, where several peculiar 

 genera occur, and where the larger Carnivora and Ungulata are 



1 Generally known as ffyomoschus, but first described as an extinct form 

 under the above name. 



