

20 



ZOOLOGICAL 





Musquashes. No fewer than 208 species are known, which are about 

 equally divided between the Nearctic and Palsearctic regions. Britain 

 possesses five species, namely, the Common Field Vole (Microlus agrestis), 

 the Water Vole (M. amphibius), the Orkney Vole (M. orcadensis), the Bank 

 Vole {Evotomys britannicus), and the Skomer Vole (E. skomerensis). The 

 three last-mentioned are peculiar to the British Isles. None of them is 

 known to occur in Ireland. The Lemmings (Lemmus), of which half a dozen 

 species are known, inhabit the northern and arctic regions of both Old and 

 New Worlds, and are the only representatives of the Muridse in Greenland, 

 Spitzbergen and Novaya Zemlya. The Musquashes, or Musk-Rats (Fiber 

 zibethicus, &c.) are confined to North America, where they range practically 

 over the whole continent. The last sub-family (Myotalpinse.) contains six 

 species belonging to a single genus. They are mole-like animals leading a 

 subterranean life and found in Northern and Central Asia. 



LOPHIOMYIDJE (Crested Eats ; 3 Species). Plate 6, Map v. 



This small family contains three remarkable Rodents, all belonging to 

 one genus (Lophiomys), and found only in North-east Africa from Suakim 

 to British East Africa. Little is known of their habits beyond the fact 

 that they are arboreal, and probably feed upon insects. They are sometimes 

 classed as a sub-family of the Muridse, but present very distinctive features 

 in their skeleton. 



MY0XID£I (Dormice ■ 33 Species). Plate 6, Map vii. 



The elegant little animals constituting this family are almost entirely 

 confined to the Palsearctic and Ethiopian Regions. The only two species 

 which occur beyond these limits are the so-called Malabar Spiny Mouse 

 (Platacanthomys lasiurus), a native of the extreme south-western portion 

 of the Indian Peninsula and Cochin China ; and a Chinese animal known 

 as Typhlomys cinereus, which is confined to the district of Fokien. A 

 single species of the typical genus Myoxus is found in the island of 

 Sikok, Japan, the other members of the genus occurring in Europe, Asia 

 Minor, Palestine, Northern Persia, and the Transcaspian region. The 

 Common Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), the only British represen- 

 tative of the family, occurs commonly in the southern and central districts 

 of England, ranging as far north as the Lake District. The Ethiopian 

 species of this family are all placed in the genus Graphiurus. They are 

 13 in number, and occur throughout tropical and South Africa, but are 

 entirely absent from Madagascar. 



Ten fossil species of Dormice have been described, from the Miocene 

 and Eocene strata of Europe. 



CASTORIM (Beavers ; 2 Species). Plate 6, Map v. 



The comparatively large Rodents belonging to the present family are 

 represented by only two J existing species, namely, the European Beaver 

 {Castor fiber) and the American Beaver (G. canadensis). The present 

 distribution of the former species in Europe and Asia is for the most part 

 very uncertain, but there are recent records which lead us to conclude that 

 it probably still survives in limited numbers over a wide area. In Norway 

 it certainly survives and is strictly preserved in three districts; on the Lower 

 Rhone one of the writers visited its haunts below the town of Aries in 1896 ; 

 while a few probably still survive in South-eastern Germany, and lower down 

 the Danube in Austria, Hungary and Turkey, in the valley of the Moldau 

 (Bohemia), in Poland and Lithuania, and in Russia in the valleys of the 

 Dnieper and Svislotch. Passing eastwards, we have fairly recent informa- 

 tion of its presence in Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, the Caucasus, in the valley 

 of the Pelyin (a tributary of the Obi), and it may possibly be still found in 

 the Lena. The European Beaver was formerly a member of the British 

 fauna to within the historic period. 



The New World species was, until quite recently, abundant in North 

 America, ranging from the Arctic Circle to Northern Mexico. Like its Old 

 World relative, however, it is being rapidly exterminated for the sake of its 

 fur. It occurs in Canada, at the present day, in the watershed between the 

 Hudson Bay Rivers and the St Lawrence, in the upper waters of the Fraser 

 and Peace Rivers and along the Rocky Mountain range. It is thinly 

 scattered over the Keewatkin district of the Hudson Bay region, and 

 in Alaska occurs on Stewart River. Formerly abundant over a wide 

 area in the United States, as shown on the map, it is believed by recent 

 writers to be now confined to a few colonies on the slopes of the Rocky 

 Mountains and a few in Wyoming and Montana and as far as the San 

 Pedro river of Sonora. 



About 30 extinct species of Beavers are known, all from European and 

 North American Tertiary beds. 



HAPLODONTID^E (Sewellels ; 5 Species). Plate 6, Map vi. 



The few species of this family are confined to a very limited region in 

 the extreme west of North America. They range only from the Columbia 

 River in Washington southwards to California and west of the Rocky 

 Mountains. All are small burrowing animals of semi-aquatic habits, living 

 in small colonies near running water. 



SCIUEIDiE (Squirrels, Marmots, &c; 470 Species). 

 Plate 6, Map vii. 



The members of this huge family are found in all the zoogeographical 

 regions except the Australian. 2 They are, however, absent from Madagascar, 

 the southern half of South America, and the West Indies. Three sub- 



1 Quite recently three forms from Central Europe have been separated off, under distinct 

 names, but their validity as species is doubtful. ' aisnncc 



* If the island of Celebes, which possesses several species, be regarded as lyin- in the 

 Australian region, this statement must be modified. y ° 



families are usually recognised, the first of which (Pteromyinse) includes 

 only the animals known as Flying Squirrels, of which 53 species have been 

 described. These are, for the most part, natives of the Oriental region 

 dwelling in the forest, and with nocturnal habits. They range from 

 Kashmir and Eastern Tibet to Southern China, Formosa and Japan, and 

 southwards to Java and Borneo. Although called Flying Squirrels, these 

 creatures do not possess the power of true flight, but glide through the air 

 from tree to tree by the aid of an extension of skin which connects their 

 fore and hind limbs. Six species occur in North America, one in Central 

 Asia, and one in Eastern Europe and Siberia. 



The diminutive members of this family known as Pigmy Squirrels 

 form another sub-family (Nannosciurinse). Ten species are known, and these 

 have a restricted range in the Oriental and Ethiopian Regions. Seven 

 occur in Malacca, Borneo, Sumatra, and Java, two in the Philippines, while 

 the tenth is confined to the mountains of Gabun in West Africa. 



All the remaining species of Sciuridse belong to the typical sub-family 

 (Sciurinee). The creatures known as Spiny Squirrels and their allies (Xerus 

 &c), of which over 50 species are known, are confined to tropical and South 

 Africa, and are the only representatives of the family in the Ethiopian 

 Region. On the other hand, the typical Squirrels of the genus Sciurus (186 

 species) are entirely absent from this region, though widely distributed in 

 the Palsearctic, Nearctic, Neotropical and Oriental Regions. In Britain the 

 Common Squirrel (S. vidgaris) alone represents the family, and is widely 

 spread over the greater portion of our islands, though generally confined to 

 well-wooded districts. The Ground-Squirrels or Chipmunks (Eutamias) are 

 mainly confined to North America, where they are exceedingly common. 

 Twenty-eight species have been differentiated, two of which occur in Europe 

 and Northern Asia. The Susliks (Citellus), 63 in number, are found only in 

 the Palsearctic and Nearctic Regions, in the latter, however, being confined to 

 the western portion. Lastly, the Marmots (Marmota), of which 18 species 

 are known, are natives of the colder portions of both hemispheres. As 

 they range further south they inhabit higher and higher elevations but 

 towards the northern limit of their distribution they occur on the plains 

 only a little above sea-level. These interesting little animals live in laro-e 

 companies, retiring to their burrows on the approach of winter, and passino- 

 the whole of that season there in a deep sleep. 



About 40 extinct species have been referred to this family. Most of 

 these are from European Tertiary deposits, but some occur in those of 

 North America. 



ANOMALURIDjE (African Flying Squirrels ; 14 Species). 

 Plate 6, Map vii. 



All the species of this family are confined to tropical Africa, and no less 

 than nine out of the total of 14 species are peculiar to the forest regions in 

 the western portion of that continent. They are distinguished from the 

 Flying Squirrels of the family Sciuridse by the fact that the membranous 

 expansion running down both sides of the body is supported by rods of 

 cartilage which proceed from the elbow-joint and not from the wrist. 

 While this membrane assists the animals to perform their flying leaps their 

 tail affords some aid in climbing from its being provided on its under surface 

 with a row of overlapping hardened scales. 



About 40 extinct species have been referred to this family, all from the 

 European Tertiary beds. 



ORDER UNGULATA (542 Species). 



This important Order comprises a number of well-known animals 

 characterised by having their toes enclosed in hoofs, and hence they are 

 sometimes called Hoofed Mammals. All the members of the Order are 

 of large or moderate size, and include the largest known terrestrial 

 Mammals. 



The majority of the species are natives of the Old World, only about 

 60 occurring in America. The most widely distributed families are the 

 Gervidse, which occur in every region except the Ethiopian; the Bovidse, 

 which are found throughout the Old World and in North America, 

 and the Suidsz and Dicotylidse, which, if taken together, are widely repre- 

 sented in every zoogeographical region. Common to the Oriental and 

 Ethiopian regions are the Elephantidae, Rhinocerotidse. and Tragulidse, ; while 

 the Hyracidss, Equidse, Giraffidse and Eippopotamidse. are characteristic of 

 Africa, the two latter not possessing representatives outside that continent. 

 The Antilocapridse. are confined to North America, while the Tapiridse and 

 Camelidse are examples of what is known as "discontinuous distribution," 

 the former being represented only in the Oriental and Neotropical regions, 

 and the latter in the Palsearctic and Neotropical regions. 



ELEPHANTDXa; (Elephants ; 2 Species). Plate 7, Map i. 



The huge and ungainly animals forming this small family are familiar 

 to all. Only two species are in existence at the present day, namely, the 

 Indian or Asiatic Elephant (Elephas maximus) and the African Elephant 

 (Elephas africanus), which differ from one another in so many points 

 that they might well be referred to distinct genera, were it not for the 

 fact that they are connected by a long series of extinct forms which present 

 a perfect transition from one to the other. 



The well-known Indian species inhabits the forest regions of S.W. 

 and N.E. India, Ceylon, Burma, Assam, Siam, Cochin China, Sumatra 

 and Borneo. Those occurring in Ceylon and Sumatra were at one time 

 regarded as a distinct species, but the slight differences existing in this 

 insular form do not justify its separation. In Southern India and Ceylon 

 Elephants ascend the mountains to a considerable elevation, in the latter 

 sometimes reaching a height of 7000 feet. Being intolerant of the fierce 

 sunshine of their native regions these animals during the hot season 



