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

182 ZOOLOGICAL GEOGRAPHY. [part hi.Western America, but the remaining genera,six in number, areall exclusively Palaearctic.Among Carnivora we have Nyctereutes, the curious racoon-dogof Japan and North-Eastern Asia ;Lutronectes, an otter peculiarto Japan ; and the badger (Meles), which ranges over the wholeregion, and just enters the Oriental region as far as Hongkong;JEliLropus, a curious form of the Himalayan panda, inhabitingthe high mountains of Eastern Thibet ;and Pclagius, a genus ofseals, ranging from the shores of Madeira to the Black Sea.The Ungulata, or hoofed animals, are stillmore productive offorms peculiar to this region. First we have the Camels, whosenative home is the desert region of Central and Western Asia andNorthern Africa, and which, even in their domesticated condition,are confined almost wholly within the limits of the Palaearcticregion.Of Deer we have six peculiar genera, Dama and Capreolusfound in Europe, with Elaphodus, Lophotragus, Hydropotes, andMoschus, confined to Northern China and Mongolia.The greatfamily Bovidse—comprising the oxen, sheep, goats and antelopes—furnishes no less than seven peculiar Palaearctic genera.These are Poephagus, the yak of Thibet; Addax, a well-knownantelope of Northern Africa and Syria ; Procapra, Pantholopsand Budorcas, antelopine genera peculiar to Thibet andMongolia ; with Rupicapra (the chamois), and the extraordinary•large-nosed antelope Saiga, confined to Europe and Western Asia.Besides these we have Capra (the wild sheep and goats), all thenumerous species of which, except two, are exclusively Pala?arctic.Coming to the Eodents, we have again many peculiar forms.Of Murida3 (the mouse and rat tribe), we have six peculiargenera, the more important being Cricetus, Phombomys Sminthus,and Myospalax. Of Spalacidae (mole-rats) both the Palaearcticgenera, Ellobius and Spalax, are peculiar. Ctenodadylus,a genus of the South American family Octodontidae, is foundonly in North Africa. To these we may add Myoxus (thedormice) and Lagomys (the pikas or tail-less hares) as essentiallyPalaearctic, since but one species of each genus is found beyondthe limits of the region.Birds.—It appears to have been the opinion of many natural-