196 GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. [part iv. 



and Soricicfis from the Upper Miocene, the former as large as a 

 panther ; Tylodon, of small size, from the Upper Eocene ; and 

 Palcmnydis from the Lower Eocene, also small and showing a 

 very great antiquity for this family, if really belonging to it. 



Family 26.— PEOTELID^E. (1 Genus, 1 Species.) 



Geneeal Distribution. 



Neotropical 

 Si;b-regions. 



Nearctic I Pal/Earctic I Ethiopian I Oriental I Australian 



SUB-EEGIONS. SUB-KEGION.S. SuB-REGIONS. SuB-REGIONS. SuB-REOIONS. 



I 



I 3 



The curious Froteks or Aard-wolf, a highly-modified form of 

 hyaena, approaching the ichneumons, and feeding on white 

 ants and carrion, is peculiar to South Africa. 



Family 27.— HY^NID^E. (1 Genus, 3 Species.) 



Gexeral Distribution. 



Neotropical I Nearctic I Pal^arctic I Ethiopian I Oriental 

 Sub-regions. Sub-regions. Sub-regions. Sub-reoions. Sub-regions. 



Australian 

 Sub-regions. 



1.2.3 



The Hyaenas are characteristically Etlropiau, to which region 

 two of the species are confined. The third, Hyccna striata, 

 ranges over all the open country of India to the foot of the 

 Himalayas, and through Persia, Asia Minor, and North Africa. 

 Its fossil remains have been found in France. 



Extinct Species. — The cave hyaena {H. spclcca) occurs abun- 

 dantly in the caverns of this country and of Central Europe, 

 and is supposed to be most nearly allied to the H. crocuta of 

 South Africa. Another species is found in some parts of France. 

 The earliest known true hytenas occur in the Pliocene formation 

 in France, in the Eed Crag (Older Pliocene) of England, and in 

 the Upper Miocene of the Siwalik hills. In the Miocene 

 period in Europe, quite distinct genera are found, such as 

 Hijccniciis and Lycana from tlie Upper Miocene of Greece ; 



