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.)
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION. __________________________________/\__________________________________ / \ NEOTROPICAL| NEARCTIC |PALÆARCTIC | ETHIOPIAN | ORIENTAL | AUSTRALIAN SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS. -----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------ | | | | | -- 2. 3 -- |1. 2. 3. 4 |-- -- -- --|-- -- -- --|-- -- -- --|-- -- -- -- | | | | |
The Procyonidæ are a small, but very curious and interesting family of bear-like quadrupeds, ranging from British Columbia and Canada on the north, to Paraguay and the limits of the tropical forests on the south.
The Racoons, forming the genus _Procyon_, are common all over North America; a well-marked variety or distinct species inhabiting the west coast, and another, most parts of South America. The genus _Nasua_, or the coatis (5 species?), extends from Mexico and Guatemala to Paraguay. The curious arboreal prehensile-tailed kinkagou (_Cercoleptes candivolvus_) is also found in Mexico and Guatemala, and in all the great forests of Peru and North Brazil. _Bassaris_ (2 species), a small weasel-like animal with a banded tail, has been usually classed with the Viverridæ or Mustelidæ, but is now found to agree closely in all important points of internal structure with this family. It is found in California, Texas, and the highlands of Mexico, and belongs therefore as much to the Nearctic as to the Neotropical region. A second species has recently been described by Professor Peters { 201}from Coban in Guatemala, in which, country it has also been observed by Mr. Salvin.
_Fossil Procyonidæ._--A species of _Nasua_ has been found in the bone caves of Brazil, and a _Procyon_ in the Pliocene or Post-pliocene deposits of Illinois and Carolina.
FAMILY 31.--ÆLURIDÆ. (2 Genera, 2 Species.)
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION. __________________________________/\__________________________________ / \ NEOTROPICAL| NEARCTIC |PALÆARCTIC | ETHIOPIAN | ORIENTAL | AUSTRALIAN SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS. -----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------ | | | | | -- -- -- --|-- -- -- --|-- -- -- 4 |-- -- -- --|-- -- 3 -- |-- -- -- -- | | | | |