192 
GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. 
[part IV 
extensive group of animals, now almost extinct. Many of the 
forms continue to exist only in islands, removed from the severe 
competition of a varied mammalian population, as in Madagascar 
and the Antilles ; while others appear to have escaped extermi- 
nation either by their peculiar habits — as the various forms of 
Moles ; by special protection— as in the Hedgehogs; or by a resem- 
blance in form, coloration, and habits to dominant groups in their 
own district — as the Tupaias of Malay which resemble squirrels, 
and the Elephant-shrews of Africa which resemble the jerboas. 
The numerous cases of isolated and discontinuous distribution 
among the Insectivora, offer no difficulty from this point of view ; 
since they are the necessary results of an extensive and widely- 
spread group of animals slowly becoming extinct, and continuing 
to exist only where special conditions have enabled them to main- 
tain themselves in the struggle with more highly organized forms. 
The fossil Insectivora do not throw much light on the early 
history of the order, since even as far back as the Miocene 
period they consist almost wholly of forms which can be referred 
to existing families. In Korth America they go back to the 
Eocene period, if certain doubtful remains have been rightly 
placed. The occurrence of fossil Centetidm in Europe, supports 
the view we have maintained in preceding chapters, that the 
existing distribution of this family between Madagascar and the 
Antilles, proves no direct connection between those islands, but 
only shows us that the family once had an extensive range. 
Order IV. — CARNIVORA. 
Family 23. — FELIDAE. (3 Genera, 14 Sub-genera, 66 Species.) 
General Distribution. 
Neotropical 
Sub-regions. 
N EARCTIC 
Sub-regions. 
l’AL/EARCTIC 
Sub-regions. 
Ethiopian 
Sub-regions. 
Oriental 
Sub-regions. 
Australian 
Sub-regions. 
1 . 2.3 — 
1 . 2 . 3.4 
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 
1 . 2 . 3 — 
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 
— 
The Cats are very widely distributed over the earth — with 
the exception of the Australian region and the island sub-region 
