ZOOLOGICAL 



H 



matter. The Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) ranges over the whole of the Paige- 

 arctic region, and was within the historical period a member of the British 

 fauna. It has, however, long been extinct in these islands, and even in 

 Europe its present habitats are chiefly confined to Scandinavia, Kussia, 

 Hungary and the Pyrenean Mountains. The Grizzly Bear (Ursus 

 horribilis) appears to represent this species in North America, ranging 

 from Alaska to Mexico. Other well-known species are the American 

 Black Bear ( Ursus americanus), confined chiefly to the mountains in the 

 Eastern United States; the Himalayan Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) 

 ranging from Persia through the Himalayas to Burma, Assam, China, 

 Hainan and Formosa; and the small Malayan Bear (Ursus malayanus) 

 found in the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo, but also extending 

 westwards to North-eastern India. The Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos 

 ornatus) is interesting as being the sole representative of the family 

 in South America, in the Andes. The Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus), 

 one of the commonest mammals of India, is especially characteristic of 

 that peninsula, occurring from the foot of the Himalayas to Cape Comorin, 

 and also in Ceylon. It feeds on insects, fruit and honey, does not hiber- 

 nate, and differs to a marked degree from all other members of the familv, 

 being placed in a genus to itself. 



About 30 fossil species of Bears have been described from the Tertiary 

 beds of both hemispheres, the Palsearctic region claiming half this 

 number. 



VIVEREID.E (Civets, Genets, Mungooses, the Fossa, &c. ; 

 144 Species). Plate 5, Map i. 



The members of this family are entirely confined to the Old World, 

 and are especially characteristic of the Ethiopian and Oriental Regions. 

 The only species occurring outside these areas are about half a dozen 

 Genets (Genetta) found in southern Europe, Asia Minor and Palestine, 

 and the Egyptian Mungoose or Ichneumon (Herpestes ichneumon), an 

 animal held sacred by the ancient Egyptians and inhabiting the south 

 of Spain, Asia Minor and Africa north of the Sahara. The Viverrida? 

 are divided into three sub-families, namely, the Viverrinse, Herpestinse 

 and Cryptoproctinse. 



The first and typical sub-family (Viverrinse) includes, amongst others, 

 the Civets (Viverra), the Genets (Genetta), the Palm-Civets (Paradoxurus), 

 and a number of smaller genera containing less known forms. Both the 

 Oriental and Ethiopian regions possess representatives of this sub-family, 

 whose members are remarkably fierce and rapacious for their size. The 

 typical Civets (Viverra), nine in number, are chiefly Oriental, two species 

 only inhabiting tropical Africa, and one being confined to Java, Ceylon, 

 Socotra, Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. The remainder range 

 over India, Ceylon, the Burmese countries, &c, as far as Celebes, the 

 Philippines and Amboyna. The Genets (Genetta) include, in addition to 

 the Palsearctic species alluded to above, about 30 others which are 

 purely African, ranging from Senegal and Abyssinia to the Cape. In 

 Madagascar there occurs a remarkable representative of this sub-family, 

 namely, Daubenton's Civet (Fossa fossa). 



The second sub-family (Herpestinse) contains the animals known as 

 Mungooses (Herpestes, &c), the Meerkat (Suricata), and a few small genera. 

 The majority of the species are Ethiopian, only 11 (belonging to the 

 typical genus Herpestes) being found in the Oriental and Palsearctic regions. 

 Half a dozen species, placed in four closely allied genera, are peculiar to 

 Madagascar-, and have been placed by some authors in a distinct sub- 

 family. 



The third sub-family (Cryptoproctinse) contains a peculiar animal 

 confined to Madagascar, known popularly as the Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox), 

 and forming a connecting link between the present family and the 

 Felidse, in which it is sometimes placed. Little is known of this creature's 

 habits, beyond the fact that it is nocturnal. It is about five feet in 

 length and is the largest carnivore found in the interesting island it 

 inhabits. 



About 30 fossil species of Viverridse are known, which are chiefly 

 from the European Tertiary beds. 



PROTELID^ (The Aard -Wolf or Earth- Wolf ; 1 Species). 

 Plate 5, Map iv. 



The curious and puzzling animal (Proteles cristatus) for which this family 

 has been constituted inhabits South and East Africa. It is closely allied 

 to, and somewhat resembles, the Hysenas, though smaller in size and with 

 a different arrangement of teeth. It is a burrowing and nocturnal animal, 

 and feeds on decaying animal substances, larvae and termites. The Aard- 

 Wolf is of a timid disposition and only rarely met with. 



HY^NID^l (Hysenas ; 17 Species). Plate 5, Map iv. 



At the present day Hysenas are confined to the warmer regions of the 

 Old World, though in former ages they were much more widely distributed. 

 The Brown and the Spotted Hyamas (Hysena brunnea and crocuta) are 

 restricted to tropical and South Africa, ranging from Upper Egypt and 

 Somaliland across to Senegal and southwards to the Cape. The Striped 

 Hyaena (H. striata) extends from Marocco and Algeria through Asia Minor, 

 Egypt and Arabia to the Transcaspian region and India. It is doubtful 

 whether the other forms recently described should rank as distinct species. 

 Probably they are mere local races. About a dozen fossil species have been 

 described, mostly from the Miocene and Pliocene of Europe and Asia. 



The Cave-Hysena, formerly regarded as a distinct species under the name 

 of Hysena spelsea, but now recognised as a large race of the existing Spotted 

 Hygena (H. crocuta) of Africa, was in prehistoric times a native of Britain, 

 but not of Ireland. Its remains have been found in the Forest bed of 

 Norfolk, and in cavern and other Pleistocene deposits in England and 

 Wales. 



CANID-SI (Dogs, Foxes, Wolves and Jackals ; 104 Species). 

 Plate 5, Map v. 



This family may almost be called cosmopolitan, as its members occur 

 throughout the New World from Greenland to Patagonia and the Falkland 

 Islands, while in the Old World they are found in every part of Europe, 

 Asia and Africa. The West Indies, Madagascar, the Philippines, New 

 Guinea and New Zealand, however, are entirely without representatives,, 

 while the only species found in Australia is a doubtful native, though 

 occurring in a wild state at the present day. 



Many well-known species have a remarkably wide distribution. Among 

 these may be mentioned the Common Wolf (Canis lupus) — see map — which, 

 excluding some of the domesticated dogs, is the largest living representa- 

 tive of the family. This fierce animal, formerly abundant in the British 

 Islands, but extinct since the reign of Henry VII., now ranges over Europe 

 and Northern Asia from France to Japan and southwards to Persia,. 

 Beluchistan and Northern India. An allied species or race is widely distri- 

 buted in the New World from Greenland to Mexico. The Common Fox 

 ( Vulpes vulpes) and the Jackal (Canis aureus) — see map — also furnish 

 examples of very wide-ranging species, the former occurring in the Palsearctic, 

 Ethiopian and Oriental regions, and also the Nearctic region, if we include 

 several forms from North America, described by some authors as distinct 

 species, but probably only local races. 



The Antarctic Wolf (Canis antarcticus), a small species inhabiting the 

 Falkland Islands, and the Magellanic Dog (C. magellanicus) are interesting 

 as representing the family in the extreme south of the Neotropical region. 

 The Dingo (C. dingo) is the only member of the family found in Australia. 

 Some doubt exists as to the origin of this species, and it is commonly 

 supposed to have been introduced by human agency, and to have sprung 

 from some Asiatic form. It is found in considerable numbers throughout 

 wooded districts, and is very destructive to sheep and poultry. 



Other interesting species of Canidse are the Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus), 

 which extends over the Polar regions of both Old and New Worlds, ranging 

 as far south as Iceland and Northern Europe ; the Coyote (Canis latrans), a 

 species allied to the Common Wolf, and found in many parts of North 

 America ; and the pretty long-eared Fennecs of Africa, placed in a separate 

 genus (Fennecus) by some writers. The Cape Hunting-Dog (Lycaon pictus), 

 found in S. and E. Africa, is a curious-looking blotchy or spotted animal, 

 differing from all other members of the family in possessing only four toes 

 to each foot. The Long-eared Dog (Otocyon megalotis), occurring in the 

 same region as the last, but of somewhat more restricted range, is remark- 

 able for its peculiar dental characters. 



Lastly, the Bush-Dog (Icticyon venaticus) found in Brazil and British 

 Guiana, is worthy of mention as likewise forming a genus to itself, on the 

 ground of its singular tooth-formula. 



The fur of many species of Canidse is of high value for cloaks and other 

 articles of clothing. The Silver Fox (Vulpes argentatus) of the Canadian 

 region, for instance, furnishes a hide valued at from £100 to £170. 



Over 160 fossil species of Canidse have been described, many of which 

 present characters which render the institution of separate sub- families 

 necessary. 



FELIDSE (Cats, including the Lion, Tiger, Leopards, Jaguar, Puma, 

 Serval, Ocelot, Caracal and Lynxes ; 84 Species). Plate 5, Map vi. 



Representatives of this important family are found in most parts of the 

 world, with the exception of Madagascar and the Australian Begion (a 

 single species, however, occurring in the island of Timor). Many well- 

 known animals are included in the typical genus Felis, which merit separate 

 treatment. Of these the Lion (Felis led) — see map — is undoubtedly the 

 chief. At the present day it is chiefly found in Africa, occurring from 

 Algeria to the Orange Biver, but also found in Mesopotamia, Persia and a 

 limited area in the north-west of India. Formerly, within the historic period, 

 this noble species had a more extensive range, covering not only the whole 

 of Africa but also the south of Asia (including most of Northern and 

 Central India), Syria, Asia Minor, and even South-eastern Europe. In 

 Pleistocene times it penetrated as far as France, Spain and the British Isles, 

 as testified by fossil teeth and bones which cannot be distinguished front 

 those of the species as it now exists. 



Next in importance is the Tiger (Felis tigris) — see map — an animal which 

 can fairly dispute with the Lion its title of "King of Beasts." It is 

 confined to Asia, and has a remarkably wide distribution. West- 

 wards its range is limited by the Caucasus, whence it extends through 

 Northern Persia, Turkestan and Afghanistan across to Manchuria and the 

 island of Saghalien. Southwards it is found all over the Malay Peninsula 

 and Siam, and as far as Sumatra and Java. Although occurring throughout 

 India it is entirely absent from Ceylon. In the Himalayas the Tiger occurs 

 up to a height of 6000 or 7000 feet. In the colder regions it appears to 

 form a distinct race, characterised by a thicker and longer coat. 



The Leopard (Felis pardus) is still more widely distributed. It is a 

 very variable species, and many names have been applied to its various 

 forms. By the majority of writers, however, these are all considered to 

 constitute a single species, including the larger and more robust varieties 

 for which the popular name of Panther has been used. In Africa the 

 Leopard occurs from Algeria, Egypt and Somaliland southwards to Cape 

 Colony ; in Asia it is met with throughout India, Ceylon, Burma and the 

 Malay Archipelago, while further northwards it ranges from Syria and 

 Persia across to Japan, not occurring, however, so far north as Siberia nor, 

 like the Tiger, on the high Tibetan plateau. Remains of the Leopard have 

 been found in caverns in Britain. 



The Ounce or Snow Leopard ( Felis uncia) is a beautiful creature whose 

 habitat was for a long time unknown, but which is now proved to be a 

 native of the high ranges of Central Asia, not occurring below an elevation 

 of 8000 feet. It appears to range from the North-west Himalayas over 



