The geographical distribution of animals, with a study of the relations ...

131..88 DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS. [part I.Order—CARNIVORA.iEluroideaFissipedia 'Cynoidea. ArctoideaPinnipediaFam.23. Felidfe ...24. Cryptoproctida?25. Viverridae26. Protelidre^27. Hysenidse28. Canidse ...'29. Mustelidae30. Procyonida;iEluridae...32. Ursidee ...33. Otariidae . .34. Trichechidge35. Phocidse....Cats, Lion, &c.Cryptoprocta.Civets.Aard-wolf.Hyaenas.Dogs, Foxes, &c.Weasels.Racoons.Pandas.Bears.Eared Seals.Walrus.Seals.The Cetacea is one of those orders the classification of whichis very unsettled. The animals comprising it are so huge, andthere is so much difficulty in preserving them, that only a veryfew species are known with anything like completeness. A considerablenumber of genera and species have been described orindicated ;but as many of these are founded on imperfect specimensof perhaps a single individual, it isnot to be wondered atthat those few naturalists who occupy themselves with the studyof these large animals, cannot agree as to the proper mode of groupingthem into natural families.They are, however, of but littleimportance to us, as almost all the species inhabit the ocean, andof only a few of them can it be said that anything is accuratelyknown of their distribution. I therefore consider it best to followProfessor Cams, who makes a smaller number of families ; butI give also the arrangement of Dr. Gray in his British Museumcatalogue of whales and seals, as modified subsequently inthe Proceedings of Zoological Society, 1870, p. 772. The Zeuglodontidse,a family of extinct tertiary whales, are classed byProfessors Owen and Carus between Cetacea and Sirenia, whileProfessor Huxley considers them to have been carnivorous andallied to the seals.