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

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132 DISTRIBUTION OF EXTINCT ANIMALS. [part 11.migration had occurred for countless preceding ages, proves thatsome great barrier to <strong>the</strong> entrance <strong>of</strong> terrestrial mammaliawhich had previously existed, must for a time have been removed.We must defer fur<strong>the</strong>r discussion <strong>of</strong> this subject tillwe have examined <strong>the</strong> <strong>relations</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> existing faunas <strong>of</strong> Northand South America.Tertiary Period.When we get to remains <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>Tertiary age, especially those<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Miocene and Eocene epochs, we meet <strong>with</strong> so manyinteresting and connected types, and such curious <strong>relations</strong> <strong>with</strong>living forms in Europe, that it will be clearer to trace <strong>the</strong>history <strong>of</strong>each order and family throughout <strong>the</strong> Tertiary period,instead <strong>of</strong> considering each <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> subdivisions <strong>of</strong> that periodseparately.It will be well however first to note <strong>the</strong>few American Post-Pliocene or living genera that are found in <strong>the</strong> Pliocene beds.<strong>The</strong>se consist <strong>of</strong> several species <strong>of</strong> Cants, from <strong>the</strong> size <strong>of</strong> a foxto that <strong>of</strong> a large wolf; a Felis as large as a tiger; an Otter(Lutra) ;several species <strong>of</strong> Hipparion ; a peccary (Dicotylcs) ;a deer (Cervus) ;several species <strong>of</strong> Procamelus ; a mastodon;an elephant; and a beaver (Castor). It thus appears that out<strong>of</strong> nearly forty genera found in <strong>the</strong> Post-Pliocene deposits, onlyten are found in <strong>the</strong> preceding Pliocene period. About twelveadditional genera, however, appear <strong>the</strong>re, as we shall see inaoinff over <strong>the</strong> various orders.Primates.—Among <strong>the</strong> vast number <strong>of</strong> extinct mammaliadiscovered in <strong>the</strong> Tertiary deposits <strong>of</strong> North America, noexample <strong>of</strong> this order had been recognized up to 1872, when<strong>the</strong> discovery <strong>of</strong> more perfect remains showed, that a number<strong>of</strong> small <strong>animals</strong> <strong>of</strong> obscure affinities from <strong>the</strong> Lower Eocene<strong>of</strong> Wyoming, were really allied to <strong>the</strong> lemurs and perhapsalso to <strong>the</strong> marmosets, <strong>the</strong> lowest form <strong>of</strong> American monkeys,but having a larger number <strong>of</strong> teeth than ei<strong>the</strong>r. A number <strong>of</strong>o<strong>the</strong>r remains <strong>of</strong> small <strong>animals</strong> from <strong>the</strong> same formation, previouslysupposed to be allied to <strong>the</strong> Ungulata, are now shown to

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