THE ANCIENT MAMMALS OF BRITAIN. 309 



pedes characterising the former epoch extending downwards 

 3 the Forest-bed, while others are replaced by those of the 

 >ag. Still, however, the percentage of existing species is high, 

 nd as but few of the genera appear to be extinct, we prefer to 

 ssign the formation in question to the Pleistocene rather than 

 D the Pliocene Epoch. 



Commencing with the Carnivores, we have evidence that the 

 ''orest-bed possesses a Sabre-toothed Tiger apparently specifi- 

 ally distinct from the Cavern species, and not improbably 

 dentical with one {MacJicerodus ciilU'idens) from the upper 

 liocene beds of the Val d' Arno in Tuscany ; while the Hyaena 

 ; identical with the Cavern form, that is to say, the existing 

 outh African species. The Wolf, and probably the Fox, as 

 /ell as the Marten and the Glutton, are likewise existing species 

 anging as far down as the Forest-bed ; and the occurrence of 

 he last-named is somewhat notable, as showing that even at 

 his early epoch, northern types were capable of existing in 

 jlngland before we have any evidence of the incoming of 

 trongly-marked Glacial conditions. The other land Carnivores 

 )f the Forest-bed are Otter and the Cave-Bear ; while the teeth 

 )f a smaller Bear have been tentatively assigned to the Ameri- 

 can Grizzly, although we should think it more probable that 

 hey pertained to the Brown species. Of marine forms, a 

 kValrus which has been regarded as specifically distinct from 

 he living representative of the genus, and the Bearded Seal 

 Phoca barbata), now inhabiting the North Atlantic, have been 

 recorded from the formation under consideration. 



In the Hoofed Order we find the Bison and the Musk-Ox, as 

 ^ell as a large Sheep {Ovis savini) apparently allied to the 

 Himalayan Argali, inhabiting East Anglia during the deposition 

 Df the Forest-bed ; while the Roe Deer, an extinct kind of Elk 

 [Alces latifrons), and the Red Deer likewise lived at the same 

 ime. There appear also to have been several species of ex- 



