490. ZOOLOGY. - 
in size than the preceding. Towards the north, beyond the Arctic Circle, 
the blue fox (V. lagopus) is met with, as well as in Norway and Siberia. 
Fam. 4. Hyanipa. Sometimes united with Viverridz by systematic. 
writers, but differing from them, being generally larger; their fore limbs 
are aah than the hind ones, making the posterior part of the body stand 
lower dian the anterior, and giving to the back a regular inclination from 
the head towards the tail. The head is more or less pointed, somewhat 
intermediate in form between the Felide and Viverride. They inhabit 
caverns, and are the most ferocious of all Carnivora, although not the 
largest. They feed on living animals or on carrion, and often dig up dead 
bodies from their graves. This family is completely excluded from the. 
New World. 
The Hyzenidee seem to have played an important part, as shown in iiss 
bone caverns of Hurope, during the tertiary epoch. Several species of the 
genus Hyeena are described, and show in their distribution a wider geogra- 
phical range than in our days. ‘Two extinct genera (Smilodon and Amyzxo: 
don) exhibit peculiarities which no species of the actual creation presents. 
The genus Smilodon is peculiar to Brazil, in the caverns of which country 
the remains were found. It is distinguished from the genus Hyena by the. 
canines, which are much compressed, nearly lancet shaped. In size wd 
eal structure they come near the hyena. | 
The genus Amyxodon is Asiatic, and was discovered about the Sivalic. © 
Mountains. 
The genus Proieles is a South African species, the aon wolf of the 
colonists of the Cape of Good Hope. The body resembles that of Hyzena, 
the head that of civets, being a little more pointed than usual in Hyena. 
‘proper. There are five toes to the fore feet, and four to the hind ones. 
The canines are of considerable size. ‘The animal is very destructive to the 
young lambs, and is said to attack the massive fatty protuberance of the. 
African sheep. 
The genus Hycna has only four toes to each foot. The teeth are enor- 
mously strong, and peculiarly adapted for grinding the hardest bones. The: 
jaws and muscles by which the latter move are also indicative of the great- 
est strength. ‘The species of this genus are all natives of the warm latitudes 
of the old world, but excluded from Kurope. The striped hyena, A. vul-. 
garis or striata (ol. 114, fig. 6), is found from India to Abyssinia and: 
Senegal. ‘'I'wo other Bas the brown and spotted hyena, inhabit the’ 
Gape of Good Hope. 
Fam. 5. FeLID#. The head is short proportionally to its length, rounded, 
and the snout itself short and obtuse. The limbs moderately long and 
equal sized. The claws are retractile; the habits nocturnal. 
We quote the following paragraph from Swainson’s Natural History of 
Quadrupeds : 
“The Felidze constitute the most formidable race of quadrupeds now 
existing on the earth, the most bloodthirsty in their habits, and the most 
dreaded by mer) Their whole structure is evidently formed to effect 
destruction of the most fearful description. Enormous muscular’strength,: 
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