92 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 



representative, the Hysemoschus, from Western Africa, already re- 

 ferred to. Of the oxen we have the Indian buffalo (Bubalus Indicus 

 or bufielus), whose range at the present day (as a domestic animal) 

 comprises, in addition to its native haunts, a considerable part of 

 Northern Africa and Southern Europe (Hungary, Greece, Italy), 

 and three or four species of wild cattle — the gaour, gayal (Bibos) — 

 distributed over the greater portion of the region, from Java to the 

 Indian Peninsula. The sacred cow or Brahmin bull, commonly 

 known as the zebu, is now found only in a domesticated state. 

 The goats have but a single representative in the entire region — in 

 the Neilgherry hills; the sheep are completely wanting. The thick- 

 skinned ungulates are represented by four or five species of rhi- 

 noceros, both one- and two-horned, whose most eastward abode 

 appears to be the Island of Java ; a soUtary species of the South 

 American family of tapirs (Tapirus Malayanus), and about six 

 species of swine (Suidae). Of the Carnivora there is, as in the 

 Ethiopian region, a large development of the civet-cats (Viverridae), 

 most of the genera representing the family in this region being pe- 

 culiar to it (Viverricula, Paradoxurus, Arctogale, Cynogale). The 

 Mustelidse comprise several well-known Holarctic forms, such 

 as the true weasel (Mustela), martin (Martes), otter (Lutra), and 

 badger (Meles), the last found only in Southern China. The cats 

 (Felidffl) are represented by many of the more prominent types of 

 the Ethiopian region — such as the lion, leopard, and panther — in 

 addition to which we have the ounce and tiger, the latter extend- 

 ing its range as far north as the fifty-third parallel of latitude 

 (Lake Baikal), and westward to the borders of the Caspian Sea. 

 It is found in the islands of Java, Sumatra, Bali, and Saghalien, 

 but is absent from both Ceylon and Borneo. The dogs (Canidss) 

 differ in several respects from the representatives of the same 

 group of animals entering into the Ethiopian fauna, and are more 

 nearly allied to the Holarctic foi-ms. The true wolf is absent ; but 

 its place is filled by several races of closely-allied wild-dogs, which 

 hunt wolf-like in packs over certain portions of the region, and 

 the jackal. The fox is represented by several species. Only one 

 of the three recognised species of hyena, the striped hyena (Hyssna 

 striata), whose range embraces the entire northern part of the con- 

 tinent of Africa and a considerable portion of Western- Asia, en- 

 ters into the region. One primary distinguishing feature separating 



