248 GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. [rAirr iv. 



lidit. From the fact that so few remains of tliis order occur 

 in Europe, and those of one family type, and in Miocene 

 deposits only, it seems a fair conclusion, that this re^jresents an 

 incursion of an ancient Ethiopian form into Europe analogous to 

 that which invaded North America from the south during the 

 Post-Pliocene epoch. The extension of the Manidida3, or scaly 

 ant-eaters, over tropical Asia may have occurred at tlie same, or 

 a somewhat later epoch. 



Eor a summary of tlie Numerous Edentata of Xorth and 

 South America which belong to extinct families, see vol. i. p. 147. 



Order XII.—MARSUFIALIA. 

 Family 76.— DIDELPHYID.E. (3 Genera, 22 Species.) 



Genekal Distrikltion. 



The Didelpliyidie, or true opossums, range throughout all the 

 wooded districts of the Neotropical region from the southern 

 "boundary of Texas to the Paver La Plata, and on the west coast 

 to 4:T S. Lat., where a species of Diddj.ihys M^as obtained by 

 Professor Cunningham. One species only is found in the Nearctic 

 region, extending from Florida to the Hudson Eiver, and west to 

 the Missouri. The species named Didelphys californica inhabits 

 Mexico, and only extends into the southern extremity of Cali- 

 fornia. The species are most numerous in the great forest region 

 of Brazil, and they have been recently found to the west of the 

 Andes near Guayaquil, as well as in Chili. Tlie exact number 

 of species is very doubtful, owing to the difficulty of determining 

 them from dried skins. All but two belong to the genus Didcl- 

 phys, which has the range above given for the family (Plate XIV,, 

 vol. ii. p. 24) ; Chironedes (1 sp.), tlie yapock or water opossum, 

 inhabits Guiana and Brazil; Hyracodon (1 sp.), is a small 



