MAMMALIA. 459 
species of this section inhabit the middle and southern parts of South 
America, on both sides of the Andes. 
In the genus Habrocoma the fore feet possess four toes; the ears are 
very large. ‘The species, two in number, inhabit Chili. 
The genus Octodon has moderately large ears; a tail as long as the body, 
slightly bushy at the extremity ; five toes to the fore and hind feet; the 
claws small. The species inhabit Chili. 
The genus Schizodon, again, has moderate sized ears, a tail shorter than 
the body, clothed throughout with small adpressed hairs; the fore feet 
strong; the claws about equal to the toes in length; five toes throughout ; 
incisor teeth stout. The species inhabit the eastern side of the Southern 
Andes. 
The genus Spalacopus is characterized by having rudimentary ears, 
almost entirely hidden by the fur of the head ; the tail is short, and clothed 
with short hairs; the nails of the toes of the fore feet rather shorter than 
the toes; the incisor teeth are moderately broad, those of the upper jaw 
distinctly directed forwards as well as downwards. Inhabit Chil, and live 
almost entirely under ground. 
In the genus Ctenomys the ears are also rudimentary, but the eyes are 
small, the tail short, the fore feet large and powerful, and armed with nails 
which exceed the toes in length; the incisor teeth are very broad, the 
upper pair distinctly convex in front, the lower pair flat at the same part; 
molars with two unequal lobes. Extends from westwards of Brazil into 
Bolivia, and southwards to the Straits of Magellan. The species, four 
in number, live under ground. Two fossil species of this genus have 
been discovered in South America, at Bahia Bianca and Monte Her- 
moso. 
Sub-fam. 4. Echimyina, have complicated molar teeth, and generally 
rooted ; the hind and fore feet provided with five toes. 
The genus Capromys still possess rootless molar teeth; each upper molar 
has a single deep fold of enamel on the inner side, and two deep folds on 
the outer ; the upper lip is slightly cleft ; the ears are moderate; the tail of 
moderate lerigth, and somewhat sparingly clothed with hairs, which do not 
hide the scaly skin; the feet are naked beneath, and covered with small 
tubercles; the nails of the toes are large, and much curved; the pupil of 
the eye is vertical. There are two species of this genus known, and they 
both inhabit the island of Cuba. One of them, C. pilorides, is the type of 
the genus /sodon of Say; this species is seen in the forests, climbing the 
trees with great activity, both for safety when danger threatens, and to seek 
its food, which not only consists of fruits and the leaves and bark of trees, 
but likewise of the flesh of animals, especially of the lizard of the genus 
Anolius, which it hunts with great preseverance. It is readily tamed. 
The genus Archeomys had a species in Europe during the upper tertiary 
period, very nearly approximated to Capromys, and representing evidently 
at that time, on the Old Continent, that latter genus now confined to the 
West Indies. The name Gergoviamys is applied to the same genus. 
The genera Plagiodontia, Myopotamus, Cercomys, Petromys, Dactylomys, 
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