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

——;118 DISTRIBUTION OF EXTINCT ANIMALS. [part ii.Wight. The Malayan family Tupaiidae or squirrel-shrews, isbelieved to be represented by Oxygomphus, a fossil discovered inSouth Germany (Wiesenau) by H. von Meyer. The Soricidae orshrews, are represented by several extinct genera Plesiosorex,Mysarachne and Galcospalax ; as well as by Amphisorex and Myogalestill living.to Madagascar, isEcMnogale, a genus of Centetidse now confinedsaid to occur in the Lower Miocene of Auvergne,a most interesting determination, if correct, as it would form atransition to the Solcnodon of the Antilles belonging to the samefamily ;but I am informed by Prof. Flower that the affinities ofthe animals described under this name are very doubtful.Carnivora.—Besides Felis and Machairodus, which extend backto the Upper Miocene, there are two other genera of Felidae,Pseudmlurus in the Upper Miocene of France, and Hycenodon,which occurs in the Upper and Lower Miocene of France, namedfrom some resemblance in its teeth to the hyaenas, and consideredby some Palaeontologists to form a distinct family, Hyaenodontidae.The Viverridae, or civets, were very numerous, consisting of theliving genus Viverra, and three extinct formsIdithcrium, as largeoccurring both in France and Hungary.the living genus Hyccna, and theThalassirtis=as a panther, and Soricidis, a smaller form,Of Hycenidce, there wasextinct Hycenidis, which hasoccurred in Hungary as well as in Greece. The Canidae, orwolf and fox family, were represented by Pseudocyon, near toCanis ; Hemicyon, intermediate between dogs and gluttonsand Amphicyon, of which several species occur in the Upperand Lower Miocene of France, some of them larger than atiger. The Mustelidae, or weasels, were represented by fivegenera, the existing genera Zutra (otter) and Musiela (weasel)Potamotherium, an extinct form of otter ;Taxodon, allied to thebadger and otter; Palceomephitis in Germany, and the Promephytis(already noticed) in Greece.The bears were representedonly by Hyccnarctos, which has been noticed as occurring inthe Pliocene, and first appears in the Upper Miocene of France.Seals are represented by a form resembling the AntarcticOtaria, remains of which occur in the Upper Miocene ofFrance.