148 , DISTRIBUTION OF EXTINCT ANIMALS. [part 11. 



productive deposits be found in South America of middle Ter- 

 tiary age. 



Pliocene Mammalia of the Antilles. — These may be noticed 

 here, as they are of special interest, proving the connection of 

 the larger West Indian Islands with the Continent some time in 

 the later Tertiary period. They consist of remains of two large 

 animals belonging to the South American Chinchillidse, found in 

 cave deposits in the island of Anguilla, and forming two new 

 genera, Amblyrhiza and Loxomylus ; and remain allied to Mega- 

 lonyx from Cuba, which have been named Megalocnus and 

 Myomorphus. 



Eocene fauna of South America. — The few remains yet dis- 

 covered in the Tertiary deposits of the Pampas which are believed 

 to be of Eocene age, are exceedingly interesting, because they 

 show us another change in the scenery of the great drama of 

 life ; there being apparently a considerable resemblance, at this 

 epoch, between South America and Europe. They consist of a 

 large extinct feline animal, Eutemnodus ; of Palmotherium and 

 Anoplotherium, the well-known extinct Ungulates of the Euro- 

 pean Tertiaries, and which have never been found in North 

 America; and of three genera of Rodents, — Theridromys, allied 

 to Echimys, and found also in the Eocene and Miocene of France ; 

 Mcgamys, allied to the living Capromys of the Antilles, and 

 also to Palwomys, an extinct form of the French Miocene ; and 

 a very large animal referred to Arvicola, a genus found also in 

 the Pliocene deposits of South America, and abundant in the 

 northern hemisphere. No Edentates have been found. 



The resemblances of this fauna to that of Europe rather than 

 to any part of America, are so strong, that they can hardly be 

 accidental. We greatly want, however, more information on this 

 point, as well as some corresponding evidences as to the condition 

 of West and South Africa about tbe same epoch, before we can 

 venture to speculate on their bearing as regards the early mi- 

 grations of organic forms. 



General Remarks on the Extinct Mammalian Fauna of the Old 



