22 



(2) an allied species occurring in the mountains of Alaska. Lastly the 

 remarkable animal known as the Takin (Budorcas taxicolor is placed here 

 This species inhabits Eastern Tibet- and the hills north of Assam, but little 

 appears to be known of it or its habits. - 



The ninth sub-family (Caprine) contains the Sheep and Goats— see 

 map— of which 36 species are known, and the curious Musk-Ox. Ine 

 Patearctic, Oriental and Nearctic Regions, and also Egypt and South Arabia 

 all possess representatives of this group. The genus Hemitragus contains 

 three species of goat from the Himalayas, Southern India and Arabia 

 respectively, while the true Goats (Capra) are 16 in number, and range 

 locally over the mountains of Southern Europe, Central Asia and North 

 Africa. The best-known of these are the Spanish Wild Goat (C. pyrenaica), 

 the Persian Wild Goat (C. segagrus), and three or four species known as 

 Ibexes. One of the latter, the Alpine Ibex (C. ibex), was formerly confined 

 to the Savoy, Swiss and Tyrolean Alps, but is now nearly extinct, occurring 

 only on the Italian side of Monte Rosa. The true Sheep (Ovis), 15 in 

 number, are chiefly inhabitants of Asia, but are represented also by one 

 species in Northern Africa, two in Corsica and Sardinia, and four in North 

 America. The Musk-Ox (Ovibos moschatus)see map— of which an eastern 

 and western race may be distinguished, is an interesting animal found in the 

 arctic regions of the New World. It ranges from the 60th up to the 83rd 

 degree of latitude, occurring in Greenland and in America east of the Mac- 

 kenzie River and Great Slave Lake. In Pleistocene days the Musk-Ox also 

 occurred in Europe and Asia, its remains having been found in Britain, 

 Germany, France and Russia. 



The tenth and last sub-family includes the true Oxen, of which six genera 

 and 21 species are known, and which occur in the Palsearctic, Oriental, 

 Australian, Ethiopian, and Nearctic Regions. The first genus contains a 

 single species known as the Anoa (Anoa depressicornis). This animal is 

 confined to the island of Celebes, and is the smallest species of Ox known. 

 The Buffaloes (Buffelus) comprise seven species, of which the best-known are 

 the Cape Buffalo {B. coffer), occurring from the Cape northwards to Abys- 

 sinia (one of the four African species), and the Indian Buffalo (B. bubalus), 

 occurring truly wild only in India and in a feral state in Burma and the 

 Malay Peninsula. A third species (B. mindorensis) occurs in the Philip- 

 pines (Mindoro). The genus Bibos comprises six species, which include the 

 following : The Gaur (B. gaums), a handsome species ranging throughout 

 the forest regions of India, Burma and the Malay Peninsula; the Gayal 

 (B. frontalis), occurring wild only in Tenasserim, but domesticated in 

 Assam, Chittagong and the adjoining districts ; and the Banting or Javan 

 Ox (B. sondaicus\ found in Burma, the Malay Peninsula, Java, Borneo, Bali 

 and Timor. The last-mentioned is, as shown above, one of the two representa- 

 tives of the Bovidse in the Australian Region. The Yaks (Poephagus) 

 are represented by two species inhabiting the high Tibetan plateau and 

 ranging northwards to the Kuen-Luen and Nan Shan mountains, east- 

 wards to Kan-su, and westwards to Ladak. Three species of Bison (Bison) 

 are known, one of which, the European Bison (B. bonasus), is found at 

 the present day only in the Bielowitza forest of Lithuania, and the 

 Caucasus, where it is protected by law. In the past this species appears 

 to have enjoyed a wide range, its remains having been found over a large 

 area extending from Britain through Central and Southern Europe to 

 Siberia. The American Bison (B. bison), now nearly extinct, formerly 

 occupied an extensive area in North America, being most abundant in the 

 west, but occurring eastwards to the Atlantic coast, northwards to the Great 

 Slave Lake, and southwards to Mexico. Lastly, the typical genus Bos 

 contains two species, which are at the present day represented only by 

 domesticated breeds. In certain parks in England and Scotland half-wild 

 animals which are descended from B. taurus are still preserved, notably at 

 Chillingham Castle in Northumberland and Cadzow Castle in Lanarkshire. 

 The bones of this species have been found over a large area in Europe and 

 also in Algeria. 



Of this family about 150 extinct species are known, which occurred 

 chiefly in the Palsearctic and Oriental Regions, with a few in North America. 

 All the sub-families are represented, but the majority of the species belong 

 to the Bovinse, Hippotraginse and Antilopinee. The singular Saiga Antelope 

 (Saiga tatarica) was a former member of the British fauna, its remains 

 having been found near London. 



TAPIRID^I (Tapirs ; 5 Species). Plate 7, Map iii. 



The members of this family have a most remarkable geographical dis- 

 tribution, the explanation of which must be found in the evidence afforded 

 by the extinct representatives. At the present day a single species, the 

 Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus) is found in the Old World, ranging from 

 Tenasserim and Southern Siam through the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra. 

 The other four species are found in Central and South America, occurring 

 from Mexico to the northern portion of the Argentine Republic. All the 

 Tapirs are forest-loving creatures, fond of water and feeding on a variety of 

 vegetable substances. 



The so-called "discontinuous distribution" presented by these animals 

 is at once explained when cognizance is taken of the fossil forms. At 

 least 60 extinct species are known, the remains of half of which have been 

 found in Europe, one in China, 24 in North America, and the rest (about 

 half a dozen) in South America. It is thus evident that in Tertiary times 

 the family had a wide range, and that the few existing species, separated as 

 they are by a vast extent of sea and land, are merely the remnants of a 

 large group which has been long diminishing in numbers, and which seems 

 eventually doomed to extinction. 



ANTILOCAPRID^ (the Prong-Buck; 1 Species). 

 Plate 7, Map v. 



The Prong-buck or Prong-horned Antelope (Antilocapra americana) is an 

 interesting animal, found only in the prairies of western North America, and 



ZOOLOGICAL 



differing from the true Antelopes in that the horns are shed annually (lik 

 those of the Deer family or Cervidse), and are provided with a short lateral 

 branch. To the east its range appears to be limited by the Missouri River 

 while it extends northwards as far as Saskatchewan and southwards as f ' 

 as Chihuahua in Mexico. 



GIRAFFID-E (Giraffes and Okapi; 3 Species). Plate 7, Map v 



The curious and familiar long-necked animal known as the Giraffe is 

 entirely confined to Africa, where it inhabits open districts, from Nigeria 

 Upper Nubia and Abyssinia, at least as far south as the Kalahari desert and 

 the Transvaal. Several geographical forms have received distinctive names 

 but these may all be regarded as races of a single species (Giraffa camelo- 

 pardalis). The typical form of the Giraffe was formerly found in Cape 

 Colony, but there is every reason to believe that this is now extinct. 



The still more remarkable creature discovered quite recently and bearing 

 the name of the Okapi (Okapia johnst07ii) has been referred to the present 

 family. The first reliable evidence of the existence of this wonderful new 

 mammal was obtained from some strips of skin (which had evidently been cut 

 from the hind quarters of the animal) sent over to England in 1900 by Sir 

 Harry Johnston, who in the following year managed to procure an entire skin 

 and two skulls. These were obtained in the Semliki Forest, which lies 

 between Lakes Albert and Albert Edward, and further specimens have 

 been obtained in other parts of the great forest region of the Upper Con<*o 

 In 1902 an example of the Okapi was secured, which has been supposed 

 to belong to a different species, but as yet this question is far from bein<* 

 settled. 



Eighteen extinct species of Giraffidse are known, three of which (from 

 the Tertiary beds of India and Persia) appear to form a separate sub- 

 family. The best known of the latter, the huge Sivatherium, exceeded in 

 size any other Ruminant, living or extinct. The other species occurred dur- 

 ing the Tertiary period in Southern Europe, Southern Asia and Northern 

 Africa. 



CERVID.E (Deer; 119 Species). Plate 7, Map vi. 



The members of this family have a wide distribution in both the Old 

 and New Worlds, being found in all the zoogeographical regions save the 

 Ethiopian. In the Australian they only occur in certain of the Austro- 

 Malay islands, e.g., Timor and the Moluccas, while the family is totally 

 without representatives in the West Indies. 



The Cervidse are divided into four sub families, which will here receive 

 separate treatment. The first (Moschinse) contains only two species, known 

 as Musk-Deer, and forming a single genus (Moschus). The better known of 

 these (M. mosehi/erus) is an animal of some economic importance, since it 

 furnishes the valuable secretion known as musk. This substance is produced 

 by the male alone, in a peculiar scent-gland situated beneath the skin of the 

 abdomen. The species has a wide range, occurring throughout the Hima- 

 layas, and extending through Central Asia into Siberia. The second species 

 is confined to the province of Kan-su, in China. 



The second sub-family (Hydropotinse) contains two species of Chinese 

 Water-Deer (genus Hydropotes), the better known of which inhabits the 

 banks of the Yang-tse-Kiang. 



The third sub-family (Cervulinse) comprises 11 species belonging to the 

 genera Cervulus and Elaphodus. The eight species of Cervulus are known 

 as Muntjacs, and inhabit Southern and South-eastern Asia from India and 

 Ceylon to Southern China, Formosa, Sumatra, and Java. Three species of 

 Elaphodus, or Tufted Deer, are known, all of which are confined to China. 



The last sub-family (Cervinse) includes the true Deer, 104 species in 

 all, of which no less than 42 belong to the typical genus Cervus. The 

 members of this genus are found widely distributed in the Old World, 

 ranging from Britain eastwards to Northern China and Japan, and south- 

 wards to Algeria, Tunis, Ceylon, Java, and Timor. Two species occur in 

 North and Central America, one of which is the Wapiti Deer (C. canadensis) y 

 the American representative of our well-known Red Deer. This animal 

 formerly ranged from latitude 60° in Canada southwards to Mexico, but is 

 now much more restricted in distribution. The principal Old World forms 

 are the Red Deer (C. elaphns), found throughout temperate Europe, Asia 

 Minor, and North Africa; the Japanese Deer (C. sika), occurring in China, 

 Manchuria and Japan ; the Indian Spotted or Axis Deer (C. axis) ; and the 

 Fallow Deer (C. dama), a native of the countries surrounding the Mediter- 

 ranean, but introduced many centuries ago into Britain. The eastern limit 

 of this genus is shown by two species occurring respectively in Timor and 

 the Marianne Islands. The Elks (Alces) are the giants among existing deer. 

 Five species have been differentiated, one of which ranges from Scandinavia 

 eastwards to the Amur region, while a second, called also the Moose, is 

 North American, until recently occurring from the New England States to 

 British Columbia, and northwards to 70° N. latitude. The genus Rangifer 

 (see map) includes the Reindeer (R. tarandus), which inhabits the northern 

 regions of the Old World, including Novaya Zemlya and Spitzbergen ; the 

 Caribou (A\ caribou) occurring in Eastern Canada ; and about a dozen other 

 forms occurring in the northern portions of both hemispheres, which have 

 received separate names, but which may be mere geographical races. The 

 Roe Deer (Capreolus) are represented by five species, of which one is a 

 native of Europe (including Britain) and Western Asia, while another 

 occurs in Northern and Central Asia. The important genus Cariacus 

 (called also Odocoileus) contains 28 species, all of which are American, rang- 

 ing from Canada to the Straits of Magellan. Although occurring in Central 

 America, they are absent from the West Indies. Lastly, the genus Pudua 

 contains two species found in the Andes of Chili and Ecuador respectively. 

 They are tiny animals, about the size of a hare, with a pair of minute spike- 

 like antlers in the male. 



Of extinct species belonging to this family about 130 species are known, 

 whose remains have been found in all the regions inhabited by recent forms. 



