The geographical distribution of animals, with a study of the relations ...

116 DISTRIBUTION OF EXTINCT ANIMALS. [part ii.tinued to exist till the Older Pliocene period. There are threelarge species of Rhinoceros, as well as a species of the extinctgenus Leptodon of smaller size. Eemains of a very large wildboar (Sus) were found. Very interesting is the occurrence of aspecies of giraffe (Camelopardalis) as tall as the African speciesbut more slender ; and also an extinct genus Ilclladotherium, notquite so tall as the giraffe but much more robust, and showingsome approach to the Antilopidse in its dentition. Antelopeswere abundant, ranging from the size of the gazelle to that othe largest living species.Three or four seem referable to livinggenera, but the majority are of extinct types, and are classedin the genera Palceotragus, Palceoryx, Tragocerus, and Palceoreas ;while Dremotherium is an ancient generalized form of Cervidceor deer.Proboscidea.—These are represented by two species of Mastodon,and two of Dinotherium, an extraordinary extinct form•supposed to be, to some extent, intermediate between theelephants and the aquatic manatees {Sirenia)Bodentia.—This order is represented by a species of Hystrix,larger than living porcupines.Edentata.—This order, now almost confined to South America,was represented in the Miocene period by several Europeanspecies. Ancylotherium and Macrotherium, belonging to an extinctfamily but remotely allied to the African ant-bear (Oryctcropus),occur in Greece.Birds.—Species of Phasianus and Gallus were found ; thelatter especially interesting as being now confined to India.Beptiles.—These are few and unimportant, consisting of atortoise {Testudo) and a large lizard allied to Varanus.Summary of the Miocene Fauna of Greece.—Although we cannotconsider that the preceding enumeration gives us by anymeans a complete view of the actual inhabitants of this partof Europe during the later portion of the Miocene period, weyet obtain some important information. The resemblance thatappeared in the Pliocene fauna of Europe, to that of the opencountry of tropical Africa, is now still more remarkable. We