The Otters (Lutrinæ) range over the whole area occupied by the family. They have been subdivided into a number of groups, such as _Barangia_ (1 species), found only in Sumatra; _Lontra_, containing 3 South American species; _Lutra_ (7 species), ranging over the whole of the Palæarctic and Oriental regions; _Nutria_ (1 species), a sea-otter confined to the west coast of America from California to Chiloe; _Lutronectes_ (1 species), from Japan only; _Aonyx_ (5 species), found in West and South Africa, and the third and fourth Oriental sub-regions. _Hydrogale_ (1 species), confined to South Africa; _Latax_ (2 species), Florida and California to Canada and British Columbia; _Pteronura_ (1 species), Brazil and Surinam; and _Enhydris_ (1 species), the peculiar sea-otter of California, Kamschatka and Japan. The last two are the only groups of otters, besides _Lutra_, admitted by Professor Carus as genera. The Badgers and allies (Melininæ) have also a wide range, but with one exception are absent from South America. They comprise the following genera: _Arctonyx_ (1 species), Nepal to Aracan; _Meles_ (4 species), North Europe to Japan, and China as far south as Hongkong (Plate I., vol. i., p. 195); _Taxidea_ (2 species), Central and Western North America to 58° N. Lat.; _Mydaus_ (1 species), mountains of Java and Sumatra; _Melivora_ (3 species), Tropical and South Africa and India to foot of Himalayas; _Mephitis_ (12 species), America from Canada and British Columbia to the Straits of Magellan (Plate XX., vol. ii., p. 136). _Ictonyx_ (2 species), Tropical Africa to the Cape; _Helictis_ (4 species), Nepal to Java, Formosa and Shanghai (Plate VII., vol. i. p. 331). _Fossil Mustelidæ._--Species of otter, weasel, badger, and glutton, occur in European bone caves and other Post-tertiary deposits; and in North America _Galictis_, now found only in the Neotropical region, and, with _Mephitis_, occurring in Brazilian caves. {200}Species of _Mustela_ have been found in the Pliocene of France and of South America; and _Lutra_ in the Pliocene of North America. In the Miocene deposits of Europe several species of _Mustela_ and _Lutra_ have been found; with the extinct genera _Taxodon_, _Potamotherium_, and _Palæomephitis_; as well as _Promephitis_ in Greece. In the Upper Miocene of the Siwalik Hills species of _Lutra_ and _Mellivora_ are found, as well as the extinct genera _Enhydrion_ and _Ursitaxus_. The family appears to have been unknown in North America during the Miocene period. FAMILY 30.--PROCYONIDÆ. (4 Genera, 8 Species.)