24 



ZOOLOGICAL 



regularly occur around the British Isles. The Right Whales (Balsena) are 

 represented by four species, and form a sub-family to themselves. The 

 best-known of these is the Greenland Whale (B. mysticetus), which is con- 

 fined to the Arctic Ocean, but which through persecution is now much 

 restricted in its range. A whale of this species yields about 130 barrels of 

 oil, and from 1000 to 3000 lbs. of whalebone. The price of the latter 

 averages about £3000 per ton, but 20 years ago it realised less than half that 

 amount, owing to the greater abundance of the species. The Southern 

 Right- Whale (B. biscayensis or glacialis) is still found in the North Atlantic 

 in some numbers, especially to the north-west of Britain. The Hump-Backed 

 Whale (Megaptera nodosa) is a rare visitor to our coasts. It has an exceed- 

 ingly wide distribution in the North Atlantic, while other members of 

 the genus occur in the Southern Hemisphere and in the Pacific, ranging 

 as far south as New Zealand and the Falkland Islands. The Pin-Whales 

 or Rorquals (Balsenoptera), 18 species of which are known, are the com- 

 monest of all the larger Cetaceans, being found in all seas. Sibbald's 

 Rorqual (B. musculus)— the largest animal of the present and all times, 

 attaining a length of as much as 85 feet— the Common Rorqual (B. 

 physalus), Rudolphi's Rorqual (B. borealis) and the Lesser Rorqual (B. 

 acuto-rostrata), all occur more or less frequently in British waters. Since 

 the Greenland and Southern Right Whale became comparatively scarce 

 the members of this genus have been much hunted, although the quality of 

 their baleen and the yield of their blubber are much inferior to those of the 

 Balsenas. 



No fewer than 95 extinct species of this family have been described. 

 The majority of these occur in Europe, but they are also represented by 

 remains in the North American Tertiaries and in those of Patagonia and 

 the Argentine Republic. 



ORDER SIRENIA (8 Species). 



In the present Order only two families of existing species are recog- 

 nised, all of which are purely aquatic in habit. The first of these 

 (Halicomdse) comprises three species found on the shores of the Indian 

 Ocean, and a fourth, now unfortunately exterminated, which formerly 

 occurred in two small islands off the coast of Kamchatka. The second 

 family (Manatidse) likewise contains four species, which inhabit the 

 tropical estuaries and large rivers on both sides of the Atlantic. 



HALICORID^l (Dugongs; 4 Species). Plate 8, Map vi. 



This family comprises three species of Dugong, belonging to the typical 

 genus Halicore, and a single species of Rhytina, known as the Northern Sea- 

 Cow. The Dugongs are interesting as heing probably the originals upon 

 which the fabulous " Mermaids " are founded. The Common Dugong 

 (Halicore dugong) is found on the shores of the Indian Ocean, ranging from 

 south of Mozambique to the Philippines, and including Mauritius, the 

 Malabar coast, Ceylon, and the Andaman, Nicobar and Malay Islands. The 

 other two species, only doubtfully distinct from this, occur in the Red Sea 

 and on the Australian coasts respectively. These animals frequent shallow 

 water, where they exist chiefly on various sea-weeds. The Northern Sea- 

 Cow (Rhytina gigas), the largest member of the Order, is only known from 

 remains obtained on Bering and Copper Islands off the coast of Kamchatka. 

 By the end of the eighteenth century, and only about 30 years after its dis- 

 covery, this interesting animal was completely exterminated, and unfortun- 

 ately is now only represented in our museums by a few imperfect skeletons. 



Twenty-three extinct species of this family have been described from the 

 European Tertiary beds, the Eocene of Egypt, the Tertiaries of North 

 America, and the Pliocene of Australia. 



MANATID.E (caUed also TRICHECID^) (Manatees; 4 Species). 

 Plate 8, Map vi. 



The animals comprised in this family inhabit the bays, estuaries and 

 large rivers on both sides of the tropical portion of the Atlantic Ocean. 

 The American Manatee (Manatus manatus) ranges from Florida southwards 

 to about 25° S. latitude, and ascends the great Brazilian rivers almost to 

 their sources. A second species occurs in the Amazon and Orinoco a 

 third in the rivers of Surinam, and the fourth in those of West Africa 

 from the Senegal to the Congo and Kuanza. Their food consists entirely 

 of various aquatic plants which they devour under water. 



Six extinct species are known, one being from the Belgian Oligocene 

 three from the Miocene and Pleistocene of North America, and one from the 

 Pliocene of the Argentine Republic. 



ORDER EDENTATA (56 Species). 



In this Order are comprised only five families, three of which are in- 

 habitants of the New World and two of the Old. The former are the 

 Dasypodidse, Bradypodidse and Myrmecophagidse, or Armadillos, Sloths and 

 Ant-eaters, which range from Texas southwards to Patagonia. Of the Old 

 World families the Orycteropodidss or Aard-Varks are confined to Africa 

 while the Manidse or Pangolins are found in tropical and South Africa, and 

 South-eastern Asia. 



OEYCTEEOPODID^ (Aard-Varks ; 6 Species). 

 Plate 9, Map iii. 



The Aard-Varks, or Earth-Pigs, are exclusively confined to Africa. Six 

 species only are known, the typical one of which is a native of the southern 

 and south-eastern portions of the continent, while the others occur in the 



more northern regions, from Senegal eastwards. These curious Edentates 

 are insectivorous, feeding upon termites and ants, are nocturnal in habit 

 and live in burrows which they rapidly excavate by means of their powerful 

 fore-limbs. 



Three extinct species of this family are known, one of which belong to 

 the existing genus. 



DASYPODID-S (Armadillos; 29 Species). Plate 9, Map i. 



The well-protected and singular animals forming this family are exclusively 

 confined to the New World, all but one species (which ranges as far north 

 as Texas) being restricted to Central America and the tropical and temper- 

 ate parts of South America. The curious external shield upon which thev 

 rely for protection and which sometimes is flexible enough to allow the 

 animal to roll itself up into a complete and impenetrable ball, marks these 

 creatures sharply off from all other known mammals. Armadillos vary in 

 size from the tiny form found in the western portion of the Argentine 

 Republic, known as the Pichiciago (Ghlamydophorus truncatus), which only 

 measures five inches in length, to the Giant Armadillo (Priodontes giganteus) 

 a native chiefly of Surinam and Brazil, whose length is a yard. They are 

 all burrowing animals and mainly insectivorous. 



The remains of over 100 extinct species have been discovered, all from 

 South American Secondary and Tertiary deposits. Among these are many 

 of gigantic size, of which the best known is the Megatherium. 



BRADYPODID^I (Sloths ; 7 Species). Plate 9, Map ii. 



Sloths are confined to Central and South America, ranging from 

 Nicaragua to about 30° south of the Equator. They are exclusively arboreal 

 in habit and hence are confined to the forest-regions. By their peculiar 

 structure they are eminently adapted for progression along the branches of 

 the trees among which they live, usually hanging under them by means of 

 their long curved claws. The two genera are distinguished by the number 

 of toes in the fore-limb, and are hence known as Three-toed (Bradypus) and 

 Two-toed Sloths (Gholoepus). Five species are known of the former genus 

 and two of the latter. Four extinct species have been described, three of 

 which are from the Eocene of Patagonia and the fourth from Madagascar. 



MANIM (Pangolins; 8 Species). Plate 9, Map iii. 



The strange, scaly animals comprised in this family are exclusively confined 

 to the Ethiopian and Oriental Regions and Celebes. Four species occur in 

 the former, inhabiting Africa south of the Sahara, and being especially 

 characteristic of the western portion of the continent. The four Oriental 

 species range from India and Ceylon to Southern China, the Malay 

 Peninsula and the Archipelago as far east as Celebes. These animals are 

 absolutely toothless, subsisting principally on termites, and dwelling in 

 burrows or the crevices of rocks. Several of them, however, are partially 

 arboreal in their habits. 



Two extinct species are known, namely, one from the Eocene of Southern 

 France, and the other from the Pliocene of India. 



MYRMECOPHAGIM (Ant-eaters; 6 Species). 

 Map iii. 



Plate 9, 



The Ant-eaters, or Ant-Bears as they are sometimes called, are confined 

 to the Neotropical region, ranging from South-western Mexico to Southern 

 Brazil and Paraguay. The Great Ant-eater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is 

 the only representative of the typical genus, and is distributed over Central 

 and South America from Guatemala to Paraguay and Northern Argentina. 

 It is a nocturnal and terrestrial animal, feeding entirely upon ants and 

 termites. The Lesser Ant-eater (Tamandua tetradactyla) has an equally 

 extensive range, occurring in the forest regions from Mexico to Paraguay. 

 It is, moreover, an essentially arboreal creature, though like its larger 

 relative being mainly nocturnal and feeding upon the same insects. The 

 third genus (Gycloturus or Cyclopes) is represented by a single species about 

 the size of a rat, known as the Two-toed Ant-eater (G. didactylus). This 

 animal is also nocturnal and arboreal, but of more restricted range than either 

 of the preceding. It occurs only in the hottest parts of Central and South 

 America, ranging from Guatemala to Northern Brazil and Peru. No fossil 

 representatives of this family are known. 



ORDER MARSUPIALIA (241 Species). 



The members of this Order, characterised by the possession of a 

 marsupium, or pouch, in which the newly-born young are suspended and 

 protected, are confined to America and the Australian Region. The only 

 American representatives are the Didelphidse, which range from the United 

 States to the Argentine Republic, and the Czmolestidse which are confined 

 to Ecuador and Bogota. The Macropodidse, Peramelidee, Dasyuridee and 

 Phalangeridse are common to Australia, Tasmania, and the Papuan Islands, 

 four species of the last-mentioned family extending the range of the Order as 

 far west as Celebes. The small families of Phascolomyidee and Notoryctidze, 

 on the other hand, are confined to South-eastern Australia and Tasmania, 

 and Central Australia, respectively. 



MACROPODIDSE (Kangaroos ; 63 Species). Plate 9, Map iv. 



The peculiar leaping Marsupials, known as Kangaroos, are absolutely con- 

 fined to the Australian Region, 49 being restricted to Australia and 

 Tasmania ; one common to North Australia and New Guinea ; while the 

 remaining 13 are found in New Guinea and a few small neighbouring islands. 

 The true Kangaroos and Wallabies (Macropus) are represented by 25 species, 



