ZOOLOGICAL
24
more northern regions, from Senegal eastwards. These curious Edentates are insectivorous, feeding upon termites and ants, are nocturnal in habit, and live in burrows which they rapidly excavate by means of their powerful fore-limbs.
Three extinct species of this family are known, one of which belongs to the existing genus.
DASYPODIDA! (Armadillos; 29 Species). Plate 9, Map i.
The well-protected and singular animals forming this family are exclusively confined to the New World, all but one species (which ranges as far north as Texas) being restricted to Central America and the tropical and temperate parts of South America. The curious external shield upon which they rely for protection and which sometimes is flexible enough to allow the animal to roll itself up into a complete and impenetrable ball, marks these creatures sharply off from all other known mammals. Armadillos vary in size from the tiny form found in the western portion of the Argentine Republic, known as the Pichiciago (Chlamydophorus truncatus), which only measures five inches in length, to the Giant Armadillo (Priodontes giganteus), a native chiefly of Surinam and Brazil, whose length is a yard. They are all burrowing animals and mainly insectivorous.
The remains of over 100 extinct species have been discovered, all from South American Secondary and Tertiary deposits. Among these are many of gigantic size, of which the best known is the Megatherium.
BRADYPODIDiE (Sloths; 7 Species). Plate 9, Map ii.
Sloths are confined to Central and South America, ranging from Nicaragua to about 30° south of the Equator. They are exclusively arboreal in habit and hence are confined to the forest-regions. By their peculiar structure they are eminently adapted for progression along the branches of the trees among which they live, usually hanging under them by means of their long curved claws. The two genera are distinguished by the number of toes in the fore-limb, and are hence known as Three-toed (Bradypus) and Two-toed Sloths (Cholcepus). Five species are known of the former genus and two of the latter. Four extinct species have been described, three of which are from the Eocene of Patagonia and the fourth from Madagascar.
MANIDA¡ (Pangolins; 8 Species). Plate 9, Map iii.
The strange, scaly animals comprised in this family are exclusively confined to the Ethiopian and Oriental Regions and Celebes. Four species occur in the former, inhabiting Africa south of the Sahara, and being especially characteristic of the western portion of the continent. The four Oriental species range from India and Ceylon to Southern China, the Malay Peninsula and the Archipelago as far east as Celebes. These animals are absolutely toothless, subsisting principally on termites, and dwelling in burrows or the crevices of rocks. Several of them, however, are partially arboreal in their habits.
Two extinct species are known, namely, one from the Eocene of Southern France, and the other from the Pliocene of India.
MYRMEC0PHAGIDA3 (Ant-eaters; 6 Species). Plate 9,
Map iii.
The Ant-eaters, or Ant-Bears as they are sometimes called, are confined to the Neotropical region, ranging from South-western Mexico to Southern Brazil and Paraguay. The Great Ant-eater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is. the only representative of the typical genus, and is distributed over Central and South America from Guatemala to Paraguay and Northern Argentina. It is a nocturnal and terrestrial animal, feeding entirely upon ants and termites. The Lesser Ant-eater (Tamandua tetradactyla) has an equally extensive range, occurring in the forest regions from Mexico to Paraguay. It is, moreover, an essentially arboreal creature, though like its larger relative being mainly nocturnal and feeding upon the same insects. The third genus (Cycloturus or Cyclopes) is represented by a single species about the size of a rat, known as the Two-toed Ant-eater (C. didactylus). This animal is also nocturnal and arboreal, but of more restricted range than either of the preceding. It occurs only in the hottest parts of Central and South America, ranging from Guatemala to Northern Brazil and Peru. No fossil representatives of this family are known.
ORDER MARSUPIALIA (241 Species).
The members of this Order, characterised by the possession of a marsupium, or pouch, in which the newly-born young are suspended and protected, are confined to America and the Australian Region. The only American representatives are the Didelphidse, which range from the United States to the Argentine Republic, and the Csenolestidse which are confined to Ecuador and Bogota. The Macropodidse, Peramelidse, Dasyuridee and Phalangeridse are common to Australia, Tasmania, and the Papuan Islands four species of the last-mentioned family extending the range of the Order as far west as Celebes. The small families of Phascolomyidse and Notoryctidee, on the other hand, are confined to South-eastern Australia and Tasmania, and Central Australia, respectively.
MACR0P0D1DA; (Kangaroos; 63 Species). Plate 9, Map iv.
The peculiar leaping Marsupials, known as Kangaroos, are absolutely confined to the Australian Region, 49 being restricted to Australia and Tasmania; one common to North Australia and New Guinea • while the remaining 13 are found in New Guinea and a few small neighbouring islands. The true Kangaroos and Wallabies (Macropus) are represented by 25 species,
regularly occur around the British Isles. The Right Whales (Balsena) are represented by four species, and form a sub-family to themselves. The best-known of these is the Greenland Whale (B. mysticetus), which is confined to the Arctic Ocean, but which through persecution is now much restricted in its range. A whale of this species yields about 130 barrels of oil, and from 1000 to 3000 lbs. of whalebone. The price of the latter averages about £3000 per ton, but 20 years ago it realised less than half that amount, owing to the greater abundance of the species. The Southern Right-Whale (B. hiscayensis or glacialis) is still found in the North Atlantic in some numbers, especially to the north-west of Britain. The Hump-Backed Whale (Megaptera nodosa) is a rare visitor to our coasts. It has an exceedingly wide distribution in the North Atlantic, while other members of the genus occur in the Southern Hemisphere and in the Pacific, ranging as far south as New Zealand and the Falkland Islands. The Fin-Whales or Rorquals (Balsenoptera), 18 species of which are known, are the commonest of all the larger Cetaceans, being found in all seas. Sibbald’s Rorqual (B. musculus)—the largest animal of the present and all times, attaining a length of as much as 85 feet—the Common Rorqual (B. physalus), Rudolphi’s Rorqual (B. borealis) and the Lesser Rorqual (B. acuto-rostrata), all occur more or less frequently in British waters. Since the Greenland and Southern Right Whale became comparatively scarce the members of this genus have been much hunted, although the quality of their baleen and the yield of their blubber are much inferior to those of the Bahenas.
No fewer than 95 extinct species of this family have been described. The majority of these occur in Europe, but they are also represented by remains in the North American Tertiaries and in those of Patagonia and the Argentine Republic.
ORDER SIRENIA (8 Species).
In the present Order only two families of existing species are recognised, all of which are purely aquatic in habit. The first of these (Halicomdse) comprises three species found on the shores of the Indian Ocean, and a fourth, now unfortunately exterminated, which formerly occurred in two small islands off the coast of Kamchatka. The second family (Manatidie) likewise contains four species, which inhabit the tropical estuaries and large rivers on both sides of the Atlantic.
HALICORIDA! (Dugongs; 4 Species). Plate 8, Map vi.
This family comprises three species of Dugong, belonging to the typical genus Halicore, and a single species of Bhytina, known as the Northern Sea-Cow. The Dugongs are interesting as being probably the originals upon which the fabulous “ Mermaids ” are founded. The Common Dugonsr (Halicore dugong) is found on the shores of the Indian Ocean, ranging from south of Mozambique to the Philippines, and including Mauritius, the Malabar coast, Ceylon, and the Andaman, Nicobar and Malay Islands. The other two species, only doubtfully distinct from this, occur in the Red Sea and on the Australian coasts respectively. These animals frequent shallow water, where they exist chiefly on various sea-weeds. The Northern Sea-Cow (Bhytina gigas), the largest member of the Order, is only known from remains obtained on Bering and Copper Islands off the coast of Kamchatka. By the end of the eighteenth century, and only about 30 years after its discovery, this interesting animal was completely exterminated, and unfortunately is now only represented in our museums by a few imperfect skeletons.
Twenty-three extinct species of this family have been described from the European Tertiary beds, the Eocene of Egypt, the Tertiaries of North America, and the Pliocene of Australia.
MANATIDA (called also TRICHECIDA¡) (Manatees; 4 Species).
Plate 8, Map vi.
The animals comprised in this family inhabit the bays, estuaries and large rivers on both sides of the tropical portion of the Atlantic Ocean. The American Manatee (Manatus manatus) ranges from Florida southwards to about 25° S. latitude, and ascends the great Brazilian rivers almost to their sources. A second species occurs in the Amazon and Orinoco, a third in the rivers of Surinam, and the fourth in those of West Africa from the Senegal to the Congo and Kuanza. Their food consists entirely of various aquatic plants which they devour under water.
Six extinct species are known, one being from the Belgian Oligocene, three from the Miocene and Pleistocene of North America, and one from the Pliocene of the Argentine Republic.
ORDER EDENTATA (56 Species).
In this Order are comprised only five families, three of which are inhabitants of the New World and two of the Old. The former are the Dasypodidse, Bradypodidse and Myrmecophagidse, or Armadillos, Sloths and Ant-eaters, which range from Texas southwards to Patagonia. Of the Old World families the Orycteropodidse or Aard-Varks are confined to Africa, while the Manidse or Pangolins are found in tropical and South Africa, and South-eastern Asia.
ORYCTEROPODIDAl (Aard-Varks; 6 Species).
Plate 9, Map iii.
The Aard-Varks, or Earth-Pigs, are exclusively confined to Africa. Six species only are known, the typical one of which is a native of the southern and south-eastern portions of the continent, while the others occur in the