248 



THE ETHIOPIAN REGION. 



[CHAP. 



them as the representatives of separate genera. The existing 

 species is now confined to the Ethiopian region, but since its 

 fossilised remains occur in deposits of Plistocene age in Algeria, 

 Spain, and Sicily, it is evident that, like the spotted hyaena and 

 lion, it formerly enjoyed a much more extensive range. 



With the exception that a single species is found in Syria, the 

 small rodent-like ungulates, known as hyraces, which constitute 

 not only a family (Procavtidce) but likewise a sub-order (Hyracoidea) 

 by themselves, are especially characteristic of the Ethiopian region, 

 where they are represented by a large number of species, more 



FIG. 59. CAPE HYRAX (Procavia capensis]. 



particularly in the southern portion of the continent. Although 

 these animals closely resemble the rhinoceroses in the structure of 

 their molar teeth, they differ markedly from all the perissodactyles 

 in having the carpus constructed on the linear type 1 , and 

 from all other living forms of the order in that their single pair 

 of upper incisor teeth grow continuously throughout life, as in 

 the rodents. They were formerly divided into at least two 

 generic groups, but both the terrestrial and arboreal forms are now 

 included in the single genus Procavia. Nothing definite is 



1 See figure 12 on p. 78. 



