_Extinct Species._--The cave hyæna (_H. spelæa_) occurs abundantly in the caverns of this country and of Central Europe, and is supposed to be most nearly allied to the _H. crocuta_ of South Africa. Another species is found in some parts of France. The earliest known true hyænas occur in the Pliocene formation in France, in the Red Crag (Older Pliocene) of England, and in the Upper Miocene of the Siwalik hills. In the Miocene period in Europe, quite distinct genera are found, such as Hyænictis and _Lycæna_ from the Upper Miocene of Greece; { 197}_Ictitherium_, supposed to be intermediate between Viverridæ and Hyænidæ; and _Thalassictis_, uniting the weasels and hyænas.
FAMILY 28.--CANIDÆ. (3 Genera, 17 Sub-Genera, 54 Species.)
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION. __________________________________/\__________________________________ / \ NEOTROPICAL| NEARCTIC |PALÆARCTIC | ETHIOPIAN | ORIENTAL | AUSTRALIAN SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS. -----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------ | | | | | 1. 2. 3 -- |1. 2. 3. 4 |1. 2. 3. 4 |1. 2. 3 -- |1. 2. 3. 4 |-- 2? -- -- | | | | |
The Canidæ, comprising the animals commonly known as dogs, wolves, and foxes, have an almost universal range over the earth, being only absent from the island sub-regions of Madagascar, the Antilles, Austro-Malaya, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. With the exception of two remarkable forms--the hyæna dog (_Lycaon picta_), and the great-eared fox (_Megalotis Lalandei_), both from South Africa--all the species are usually placed in the genus _Canis_, the distribution of which will be the same as that of the family. Dr. J. E. Gray, in his arrangement of the family (Proc. Zool. Soc., 1868), subdivides it into fifteen genera, the names and general distribution of which are as follows:--
_Icticyon_ (1 species), Brazil; _Cuon_ (4 species), Siberia to Java; _Lupus_ (5 species), North America, Europe, India to Ceylon; _Dieba_ (1 species), North and West Africa; _Simenia_ (1 species), Abyssinia; _Chrysocyon_ (2 species), North and South America; _Canis_ (4 species), India, Australia (indigenous?) _Lycalopex_ (2 species), South America; _Pseudalopex_ (5 species), South America and Falkland Islands; _Thous_ (2 species), South America to Chili; _Vulpes_ (17 species), all the great continents, except South America and Australia; _Fennecus_ (4 species), all Africa; _Leucocyon_ (1 species), Arctic regions; _Urocyon_ (2 species), North America; _Nyctereutes_ (1 species), Japan, Amoorland to Canton (Plate III., vol. i. p. 226). These are all sub-genera according to Professor Carus, except _Icticyon_. The same author makes Lycaon a sub-genus, while Dr. Gray makes it a sub-family!