200 
GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. 
[part IV 
Species of Mustela have been found in the Pliocene of Prance 
and of South America; and Lutra in the Pliocene of North America. 
In the Miocene deposits of Europe several species of Mustela 
and Lutra have been found ; with the extinct genera Taxoclon , 
Potamotherium , and Palceomephitis ; as well as Promephitis in 
Greece. 
In the Upper Miocene of the Siwalik Hills species of Lutra 
and Mellivora are found, as well as the extinct genera Enhydrion 
and Ursitaxus. 
The family appears to have been unknown in North America 
during the Miocene period. 
Family 30. — PROCYONLDiE. (4 Genera, 8 Species.) 
General Distribution. 
Neotropical 
N EARCTIC 
PA!. /EARCTIC 
Ethiopian I 
Oriental I 
Australian 
Sub-regions. 
Sub-regions. 
Sub— REGIONS. 
1 Sub-regions. | 
Sub-regions. | 
Sub-regions. 
— 2.3 — . 1 . 2 . 3.4 
The Procyonidae are a small, but very curious and interesting 
family of bear-like quadrupeds, ranging from British Columbia 
and Canada on the north, to Paraguay and the limits of the 
tropical forests on the south. 
The Racoons, forming the genus Procyon, are common all over 
North America ; a well-marked Variety or distinct species inha- 
biting the west coast, and another, most parts of South America. 
The genus Nasua, or the coatis (5 species ?), extends from Mexico 
and Guatemala to Paraguay. The curious arboreal prehensile- 
tailed kinkagou (Cercoleptes candivolvus) is also found in Mexico 
and Guatemala, and in all the great forests of Peru and North 
Brazil. Bassaris (2 species), a small weasel-like animal with a 
banded tail, has been usually classed with the Yiverridse or 
Mustelidae, but is now found to agree closely in all important 
points of internal structure with this family. It is found in 
California, Texas, and the highlands of Mexico, and belongs 
therefore as much to the Nearctic as to the Neotropical region. 
A second species has recently been described by Professor Peters 
