618 



Original Articles. 



[Oct., 



region, but appears especially prevalent in North America, whero 

 some twelve or thirteen species are known to occur. In South 

 America 4 a single species of Hare only is found — the Lepus brasiliensis, 

 which extends over Brazil and the adjoining parts of Peru, Bolivia, 

 and Paraguay. With this species is concluded the long series of 

 Neotropical Rodents. 



The next succeeding orders of Mammals contain all the largest 

 and most bulky animals at present existing on the earth's surface. In 

 considering them we shall at once see the poverty of the Neotropical 

 region in these forms of animal life as compared with the correspond- 

 ing parts of the Old World. While Asia and Africa have each their 

 species of Elephant, no Proboscidean is known to the existing Fauna 

 of the New World. While four types of Perissodactyles are found in 

 various parts of the Eastern Hemisphere, the Western World numbers 

 only one of these forms in its existing Fauna. Among the Artio- 

 dactyles of the Neotropical regions we look in vain for anything 

 corresponding to the Hippopotami and Wart-hogs of Africa. The 

 non-ruminant division of this Order is only represented in America 

 by two species of the peculiar genus Dicotyles. When we come to the 

 Ruminating Artiodactyles, the contrast is still greater. Where in 

 South America can we find anything to compare to the 70 or 80 

 species of Antelopes and other Bovidae of the Indian and African 

 Faunas? This great family, the most useful of all to mankind, is 

 absolutely without a single representative in the whole of the Neo- 

 tropical region. Throughout the greater part of the immense area of 

 South and Middle America the only Ruminants to be met with are 

 some scattered species of Deer (Cervus) — the second and only peculiar 

 Neotropical form of the Ruminants being confined to the elevated 

 regions of the Bolivian and Peruvian Andes. The following table 

 shows the general distribution of the Ungulata : — 



Distribution of the Ungulata. 



1. 



2. 



3. 



4. 



, 



1. 



Neotropical 



Neakctic 



Palsabctic 



^Ethiopian 



Lemueian 



Indian 



Australian 



Region. 



Region. 



Region. 



Region. 



Region. 



Region. 



Region. 



Tapiridas 





Equidse 



Equidae 



Hyracidae 

 Rhinocerotidas 





Equidas 

 Tapirida; 



Rhinocerotidas 





Suidae 





Moschidfe 



Hippopotamidas 



Suida? 



Tragulidae 





Suidas 

 Tragulidae 





Cervldae 



Cervidee 



Cervidse 







Cervidas 





Camelidae 





Camelidas 



Camelopardalidas 





Camelidas 







Bovidse 



Bovida? 



Bovida? 





Bovidfe 





I must add a few words on the special distribution of each of the 

 four Neotropical representatives of the Ungulata. 



The Tapiridae of South America are two in number : the common 

 and well-known Tapirus americanus, which is found all over the wood 



