32 ON: THE GEOGRAPHY OF ANIMALS. 
gion best calculated for studying the peculiarities of this 
zoological province. Contining ourselves to the existing 
wild quadrupeds, we may remark, that, while two species 
alone appear to inhabit the cold country of Denmark, 
there are thirteen described as natives of France and the 
adjacent kingdoms, seven of which are also found in 
Britain. The common brown bear takes the place of the 
Polar species in the central parts of Europe, where, also, 
the black bear was once common, although now nearly 
extinct. The wolf and the fox, under different varie- 
ties, or perhaps species, are distributed over this region ; 
where also we find the wild cat ; and two, if not three, 
species of lynx. The lesser ferocious quadrupeds are 
more numerous ; for no less than eight species of the 
weasel family inhabit Europe. Under the head of 
graminivorous quadrupeds, or such as live more or less 
upon seeds as well as upon flesh, may be mentioned the 
hedgehog, squirrel, and seven species of mice. The beaver 
(fig.2.) is recorded to have inhabited, at one time, the 
S ye banks of some of the 
ae Welsh rivers, but has 
long been extirpated 
from these islands, 
and will, doubtless, 
in a few years, entire- 
ly disappear from 
Europe. It may be 
here observed, that 
the different species of mice, now arranged under se- 
veral distinct genera, form an important feature in 
European zoology. The following are their names : — 
Arvicola amphibius. Water Rat. Mus campestris. Plain Mouse. 
Arvicola arvalis. Field Arvicole. | Mus musculus. House Mouse. 
Arvicola fulvus. Yellowish Mouse. Mus messarius. Harvest Mouse. 
Arvicola argentoratensis. Strasburg Mus minutus. Small Mouse. 
Mouse. Mus agrarius. Setnic Mouse. 
Georychus Norvegicus. The Lem- Mus soricinus. Shrew-like Mouse. 
ming. Mus dichrurus. Party-coloured 
Georychus terrestris. Land Lem- | Mouse. 
ming. | Mus Islandicus. Iceland Mouse. 
Mus sylvaticus. Field Mouse. | 
