FAUNA OF THE KARNUL CAVES. 
27 
Equus and Manis is extremely important in supplementing the evidence afforded by 
the Siwalik fauna as to the probable derivation of many of the existing Ethiopian 
mammals from those of the later tertiaries of India ; and it is interesting to trace 
the gradual dying out in the latter country of genera and species which are now 
dominant forms in Africa. In many instances such forms have totally disappeared, 
while in others the modern Indian representatives are either few in respect of 
individuals or inferior in size to their tertiary congeners. Thus Cynocephalus was 
represented by two species in the Siwaliks , 1 persisted to the pleistocene, and then 
finally disappeared. Similarly the crocutine group of Hycena is represented in the 
Siwaliks by II. felina and II. colvini, and in the pleistocene by II. crocuta (which was 
probably the descendant of H. colvini), after which period the group entirely died out 
in India. Again in the case of the edentates we find the gigantic Siwalik Macro- 
therium sindiense , 2 which presents features connecting it with Manis, succeeded by the 
smaller Manis gigantea of Karnul, which has now migrated to Africa, while all the 
species of the latter genus now inhabiting peninsular India are of greatly inferior size. 
Atlierura offers an instance of a genus now totally unrepresented in India proper but 
occurring in Africa, and also in the east of the Oriental region. The lion, which is 
known to occur in the pleistocene of Europe and probably existed at the same date 
in India, may be cited as an analogous instance, since it is a comparatively rare 
animal in the latter country, although very abundant in Africa. Equus again, though 
still poorly represented in the north-west of India, has entirely died out as a wild 
genus in the greater part of the country, but has attained a great development in 
Africa. Still more striking examples are to be found in the total disappearance from 
India of Hippopotamus , Giraffa , and Alcelaplius and other antelopes of modern African 
genera . 3 There is at present no satisfactory explanation of this total extinction in 
India of genera and species which appear equally as well suited to exist there at the 
present day as those which remain . 4 On the other hand Felis chaus may be cited as 
an example of a species which probably originated in India, and is still common 
there, although having extended its range to northern Africa. 
The Viverra and Hystrix of Karnul are probably the progenitors of the existing 
Indian species and the descendants of the Siwalik representatives of those genera ; 
while it is also probable that the existing Sits cristatus was derived from the 
Siwalik S. falconeri , from which may also have originated the extinct S. Icarnuliensis. 
The extension of this group of pigs into the pliocene of Africa is indicated by S. 
phacochceroides. The Karnul Bhinnceros and the other pleistocene Madras species 
(R. deccnnensis) belong to the less specialized section of the atelodine group , 5 of 
which there is no representative either in pliocene 6 or recent India. The former 
range of the existing B. unicornis into Madras is noticed in the sequel. 
l Vide supra, pp. 6-7. 2 Syn. Manis sindiensis, vide infra. 3 Vide supra , pp. 7-16. 
4 The glasial epoch can scarcely be brought forward in the case of southern India.. 
5 Comprising It. bicornis and all the European pleistocene species except R antiquitatis. See “ Cat. Foss. Mamm. Brit. 
Mus.” pt. III. pp. 101-123. (1885). 
6 R. platyrhinus belongs to the more specialized section. 
G 
