106 THE FAUNA OF 



varied, but among the arboreal forms we may note the 

 palm-civets or tree-cats (Paradoxurus) of India and 

 West Africa, which have naked feet, a common feature 

 in arboreal animals, and the bear-cat (Arctictis) of 

 South-East Asia, with a prehensile taU. 



Though not a few of the dog alliance extend into 

 wooded country, none can be said to have any special 

 adaptation to forest life. 



On the other hand, the bears and their aUies, despite 

 their total absence from Africa south of the Sahara, 

 and their general preference for temperate and upland 

 regions, are well represented in the tropics. Thus the 

 forests of South-East Asia contain the small black 

 Malayan bear (Ursus malayanus), which is essentially 

 arboreal and frugivorous in habit. In the forests of 

 India the sloth-bear [Melursus ursinus) is common, and 

 lives in forest regions, though' it is a clumsy climber. 

 Of the raccoons, the coatis (Nasua) are found in the 

 forests of South and Central America, and the Mnkajou 

 {Cercoleptes c'audivolvulus) of the tropical forests of 

 America, a cat-like animal, has as special arboreal 

 characters a prehensile tail, naked feet, and strong 

 claws. It feeds upon small mammals, birds and their 

 eggs, and fruits. The widely distributed weasel family 

 has representatives in the tropical forests, but the animals 

 do not predominate here as they do in the north, and 

 the tropical forms show no special features of interest. 



As a general rule ungulates are not abundant in the 

 tropical forests, their bulky bodies not fitting them for 

 life amid dense and tangled undergrowth. The deer of 

 temperate woods are, however, represented in the 

 tropical jungles, though perhaps the majority of the 

 tropical Asiatic deer tend to haunt relatively open 

 country. In Africa, where deer are absent, some of the 



