30 



R. Lydekker — A SJcetcJi of the 



[No. 1, 



culiaritj' in the lower molars, connecting it with the American auchenias, 

 and distinguishing it from the other old-world camels.* The similarity of 

 the lower molars of the Siwalik camel and Aiiclienia is very noteworthy, 

 since America is supposed to have been the original home of the Gamelidw : 

 this supposition is supported by the connection between the living Ame- 

 rican camels (Auchenia) and the Pliocene old-world camels. 



The other orders of Mammalia are only represented by a few species 

 of Rodentia and one of Edentata. Among the rodents, a rat (3Ius) is 

 mentioned by Falconer as a member of the Siwalik fauna. A species of 

 bamboo-rat (Bhizomys sivalensisjf has been named by myself, from some 

 lower jaws collected by Mr. Theobald in the Punjab. A porcupine (Hystrix 

 sivalensis) is known by a part of a cranium and a lower jaw. 



The edentates are only known by one species of pangolin (Ifanis 

 sindiensis) , which has been named on the evidence of a solitary phalangeal 

 bone from Sind.J 



The Mio-Plocene mammalian fauna of India, as a whole, is charac- 

 terized by the great number of forms belonging to the oi'ders including 

 animals of large corporeal bulk, and also by the admixture of modern Afri- 

 can and Miocene European genera with those now peculiar to India. The 

 Proboseidia and the peiissodactyle Ungulata, now so sparingly represent- 

 ed on the globe, were abundant in Mio-Pliocene India, and were probably 

 the dominant forms : the ruminants have now diminished somewhat in num- 

 bers in several groups, but not to such a striking extent as the proboscidians. 

 The selenodont hogs, like Mei-ycopotamus and Anthracotliermm, belong 

 to a group which has completely passed away, while their congener the 

 hippopotamus is now confined to Africa. Of the larger mammals now 

 inhabiting India, nearly all are generically represented in the Pliocene, 

 while forms, like Anoa (the living representative of Semibos) , inhabiting 

 neighbouring countries seem to have descended from Indian ancestors. 

 The micro-mammalia are practically unrepresented in the Mio-Pliocene, 

 but this is probably due to the smaller chance of their remains being pre- 

 served in a fossilized condition, or, if so preserved, of being discovered. 



Pleistocene. 



The mammals of the Pleistocene of India are as yet even less well 

 known than those of the Mio-Pliocene, owing to the smaller areas in which 



* A second species of Siwalik camel was named in MSS. C. ayitiqims by Falconer. 

 This species cannot now be identified. 



t For descriptions of this and other Siwalik rodents, sec R. G. S. I. Vol. XI, p. 

 100. Rhizomys is probably the same as TypModon of Falconer. 



\ Pal. Ind. Ser. X, Vol. I. 



