EARLIER PLIOCENE EPOCH 173 



eaters were now on European scenes in the form of hyaenas. 

 Some of the latter were of primitive description, retaining 

 close affinities with civets (Palhycena, Ictithenum). But 

 Nature had produced more than preliminary hyaena sketches ; 

 for some of the animals were not far short of being hyaenas 

 as now known (Lycycena, Hycenictis). Certain of them, 

 indeed, seem to have been closely allied to the existing 

 striped species (H. striata). Whether scavenging was at this 

 time the family profession, it is difficult to say. There must 

 have been carrion in plenty, and some of the animals may 

 have disposed of it, and with no little advantage to public 

 health. 



Bear-life in Europe, so far as is known, consisted only of bears 

 old-fashioned brutes that either retained strong affinities 

 with dogs (Simocyon), or in which certain canine features 

 had not been quite obliterated (Hycenarctos). Some de- 

 scendants, however, of the true bears of the Miocene may 

 well have been about the scenes. 



A glance must now be taken at early Pliocene life in India, india 

 This has been rendered possible by extensive discoveries 

 made in the SiwaUk HiUs ; and a very interesting picture 

 is brought in view. The ubiquitous " sabre-toothed " cats carnivores 

 (MachcBYodus) were about the land as might be supposed — 

 especially as elephants, their favourite prey, were there in 

 plenty. Various other cats, large and small, abounded. 

 Some of these seem to have been intermediate in develop- 

 ment between tigers and jaguars (F. cristata) ; others had 

 developed into cheetahs or hunting leopards (Cyncelurus 

 brachygnatha) ; and some small forms had reached the 

 status of true tigers. Civets were numerous ; and here and 

 there big forms prowled about, unequalled in size by earUer 

 or later relatives. The Dog family was represented by wolves 

 and jackals, not differing much from forms now living (Canis 

 Cautleyi, C. aureus). 



Whilst the land was thus haunted by carnivores of a 

 more or less modern aspect, flesh-eaters of a very ancient 

 race — extinct in other parts of the world — stiU Ungered on 

 (HycBonodon). So far as can be gathered, these animals 

 remained in just the same condition of development as their 



