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238 GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. [part iv.
The Octodontid^e include a number of curious and obscure
rat-like animals, mostly confined to the mountains and open
plains of South America, but having a few stragglers in other
parts of the world, as will be seen by our notes on the genera.
The most remarkable point in their distribution is, that two
genera are peculiar to the West Indian islands, while no species
of the family inhabits the northern half of South America.
The distribution of the genera is as follows :
—
Hdbrocomus (2
sp.), Chili ; Capromys (3 sp.), two of which inhabit Cuba, the
third Jamaica (Plate XVII. vol. ii. p. 67) ; Plagiodontia (1 sp.),
only known from Hayti; Spalacopus, including Schizodon (2
sp.), Chili, and east side of Southern Andes ; Ododon (3 sp.),
Peru, Bolivia, and Chili ; Ctenomys (6 sp.), the tuco-tuco of the
Pampas, the Campos of Brazil to Bolivia and Tierra del Fuego
CtenodaHylus (1 sp.), Tripoli, North Africa ; Pectinator (1 sp.),
East Africa, Abyssinia, 4,000 to 5,000 feet.
Capromys and Plagiodontia, the two "West Indian genera,
were classed among the Echimyidse by Mr. Waterhouse, but
Professor Lilljeborg removes them to this family.
Extinct Ododontidce.—Species of Ctenomys have been found
in the Pliocene of La Plata, and an extinct genus Megamys, said
to be allied to Capromys, in the Eocene of the same country.
In Europe, Palmoniys and Archa:omys from the lower Miocene of
Germany and France, are also said to be alHed to Capromys.
Family 65.—ECHIMYIDSE. (10 Genera, 80 Species.)
Neotropical
Sub-regions.
1 .2
Nearctic
sub-begioks.
General Distribution.
Pal^arctic
Sub-regions.
Ethiopian
sub-rugionb.
Oriental
Sub-regions.
Australian
Sub-regions.
The Echimyidse, or spiny rats, are a femily, chiefly South
American, of which the Coypu, a large beaver-like water-rat
from Peru and Chili is the best known. Two of the genera are
found in South Africa, but all the rest inhabit the continent of
South America, East of the Andes, none being yet known north
;