118 DISTRIBUTION OF EXTINCT ANIMALS. [part ii. 



Wi^i;ht. The Mala} an family Tupaiidre or squirrel-slirews, is 

 believed to he represented by Oxiigomjthi's, a fossil discovered in 

 South Germany (Wiesenau) by H. von Meyer. The Soricidse or 

 shrews, are represented l)y several extinct genera — Flesiosorcx, 

 Mysarachne and Galcospalax ; as well as hj Awphisorex and Myo- 

 gale still living. Eclrinogale, a genus of Centetidte now confined 

 to Madagascar, is said to occur in the Lower ^Miocene of Auvergne, 

 a most interesting determination, if correct, as it would form a 

 transition to the Soknodon of the Antilles belonging to the same 

 family ; but I am informed by Frof. Flower that the affinities of 

 the animals described under this name are very doubtful. 



Carnivora. — Besides Fclis and Machaindus, whicli extend back 

 to the Upper Miocene, there are two other genera of Felid?e, 

 Pseudcclurus in the Upper Miocene of France, and Hycenodon, 

 which occurs in the Upper and Lower Miocene of France, named 

 from some resemblance in its teeth to the hysenas, and considered 

 by some Paleontologists to form a distinct family, Flyrenodontidie. 

 The ViverridiB, or civets, were very numerous, consisting of the 

 living genus Viverra, and three extinct forms — Thalassicfis= 

 I dither ium, as large as a panther, and Soricictis, a smaller form, 

 occurring both in France and Hutigary. Of Hymnidcc, there was 

 the living genus Hyania, and the extinct Hymnirtis, which has 

 occurred in Hungnry as well as in Greece. Tlie Canidfe, or 

 wolf and fox family, \vere represented l:)y Pseudocyon, near to 

 Canis ; Hemicyon, intermediate Ijetween dogs and gluttons ; 

 and Amphicyon, of which several species occur in the LTpper 

 and Lower Miocene of France, some of them larger than a 

 tiger. The Mustelidse, or weasels, were represented by five 

 genera, the existing genera Lutra (otter) and Musiela (weasel) ; 

 Fotam other ium, an extinct form of otter; Taxodon, allied to the 

 badger and otter; Palwomcpliitis in Germany, and the Prome- 

 ]:hytis (already noticed) in Greece. The bears were represented 

 only by Hycc/iarctos, which has been noticed as occurring in 

 the Pliocene, and first appears in the Upper Miocene of France. 

 Seals are represented by a form resembling the Antarctic 

 Otaria, remains of which occur in the Upper Miocene of 

 France. 



