194 



GEOGKAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. 



[PAR'I' IV. 



with man in England, while another, as well as the allied Dinictis, 

 has been found in the Mauvaises Terres of Nebraska, associated 

 with AncJiitherium and other extinct and equally remarkable 

 forms, which are certainly Miocene if not, as some geologists 

 think, belonging to the Eocene period. These facts clearly in- 

 dicate that we have as yet made little approach to discovering 

 the epoch when Felidai originated, since the oldest forms yet 

 discovered are typical and highly specialized representatives of 

 a group which is itself the most specialized of the Carnivora. 

 Another genus, Pseudmhirus, is common to the Miocene deposits 

 of Europe and North America. 



Family 24.— CEYPTOPEOCTID^. (1 Genus, 1 Species.) 

 Genekal Distribution. 



The Gryptoproda fcrox, a small and graceful cat-like animal, 

 peculiar to Madagascar, was formerly classed among the Viver- 

 ridfe, but is now considered by Professor Elower to constitute a 

 distinct family between the Cats and the Civets. 



Family 25.— A^IVEEEIDZE. (8-33 Genera, 100 Species.) 



General Distribution. 



KrOTROPICAL 



Sub-regions. 



Nearctic 

 Sob-regions. 



Pal.earctic 

 Sub-regions. 



Ethiopian 



Sub-regions. 



Oriental 

 Sub-regions. 



Australian 

 Sub-regioms. 



—2 



1 .2.3.4- 



1 .2.3.4 1 — 



The Viverrida3 comprise a number of small and moderate-sized 

 carnivorous animals, popularly known as civets, genets, and 

 ichneumons, highly characteristic of the Ethiopian and Oriental 

 regions, several of the genera being common to both. A species 

 of Genetta, and one of Hcrpestcs, inhabit South Europe ; while 

 Viverra extends to the ]\Ioluccas, but is doubtfully indigenous. 

 The extreme geographical limits of the family are marked by 



