CHAP. XVll.] 



MAM.MALIA. 



-11 



been found in the Pliocene and Miocene deposits of Europe, and 

 one in the Pliocene of Nebraska iu North Anievica. 



Family CS.— CAYIID.^. (6 Genera, 28 Species.) 



Genekal Distuidution. 



Nkotropical 



Si'B-REGlONS. 



1.2.3.4 



Nearctic 



SUB-HEt:lON*!. 



Pal.barctic 



SUB-ltEOIO.NS. 



ExniopiAN 



SUB-RtOIONS. 



Oriental 

 Slb-reoions. 



Australian 

 Sub-regions, 



The Cavies and Agoutis M'ere placed in distinct families by 

 j\Ir. "Wateihouse, in which he is followed by I'rofessor Carus, but 

 they have been united by Professor Lilljeborg, and without pre- 

 tending to decide which classification is the more correct I follow 

 tlie latter, because there is a striking external resemblance be- 

 tween the two groups, and they have an identical distribution in 

 the Neotropical region, and with one exception are all found east 

 of the Andes. JJasuproda (9 sp.), the agouti, ranges from ]\Iexico 

 to Paraguay, one species inhabiting the small West Indian islands 

 of St. Vincent, Lucia, and Grenada ; Caiogenys (2 sp.), the paca, is 

 found from Guatemala to Paraguay, and a second species (some-- 

 'what doubtful) inEastern Peru; Hydrochcerus (1 sp.), the capybara,. 

 inhabits the banks of rivers from Guayana to La Plata; Cavia 

 (9 sp.), the guinea-pigs, Brazil to the Straits of Magellan, and one 

 species west of the Andes at Y(ja in Peru ; Kcrodon (G sp.), Brazil 

 and Peru to INIagellan ; Dolicliotis (1 sp,), the Patagoniau cavy, 

 from Mendoza to 48" otV soutli latitude, on sterile plains. 



Extinct Caviidcc. — Hydrocharus, Caioycnys, Dasyproda, and 

 Kcrodon, have occurred abundantly in the caves of Brazil, and 

 the last-named genus in the Pliocene of La Plata. I/ydrocJioprus 

 has been found in the Post-Pliocene deposits of Soutli Carolina. 

 Cavia and Dasyproda are said to have been found in the Mio- 

 cene of Switzerland and France. No well-marked extinct genera 

 of this family have been recorded. 



If the determination of the above-mentioned fossil species of 

 Cacia and Dasyproda arc correct, it would show that this now 



VOL. n. w 



