The Geographical Distribution of Animals, Volume 1: With a study of the relations of living and extinct faunas as elucidating the past changes of the Earth's surfaceWallace, Alfred Russel
Science
The Geographical Distribution of Animals, Volume 1: With a study of the relations of living and extinct faunas as elucidating the past changes of the Earth's surface
Wallace, Alfred Russel
Paleontology; Zoogeography
_Ungulata._--These are numerous and very _interesting_. The Equidæ are
represented by the three-toed _Hipparion_, which {116}continued to exist
till the Older Pliocene period. There are three large species of
_Rhinoceros_, as well as a species of the extinct genus _Leptodon_ of
smaller size. Remains of a very large wild boar (_Sus_) were found. Very
interesting is the occurrence of a species of giraffe (_Camelopardalis_) as
tall as the African species but more slender; and also an extinct genus
_Helladotherium_, not quite so tall as the giraffe but much more robust,
and showing some approach to the Antilopidæ in its dentition. Antelopes
were abundant, ranging from the size of the gazelle to that of the largest
living species. Three or four seem referable to living genera, but the
majority are of extinct types, and are classed in the genera _Palæotragus_,
_Palæoryx_, _Tragocerus_, and _Palæoreas_; while _Dremotherium_ is an
ancient generalized form of _Cervidæ_ or 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 the elephants and the aquatic manatees
(_Sirenia_.)
_Rodentia._--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 European species.
_Ancylotherium_ and _Macrotherium_, belonging to an extinct family but
remotely allied to the African ant-bear (_Orycteropus_), occur in Greece.
_Birds._--Species of _Phasianus_ and _Gallus_ were found; the latter
especially interesting as being now confined to India.
_Reptiles._--These are few and unimportant, consisting of a tortoise
(_Testudo_) and a large lizard allied to _Varanus_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account