Family 23.—FELIDÆ. (3 Genera, 14 Sub-genera, 66 Species.)

General Distribution.
Neotropical
Sub-regions.		Nearctic
Sub-regions.		Palæarctic
Sub-regions.		Ethiopian
Sub-regions.		Oriental
Sub-regions.		Australian
Sub-regions.
1. 2. 3 —1. 2. 3. 41. 2. 3. 41. 2. 3. —1. 2. 3. 4— — — —

The Cats are very widely distributed over the earth—with the exception of the Australian region and the island sub-region of Madagascar and the Antilles—universally; ranging from the torrid zone to the Arctic regions and the Straits of Magellan. They are so uniform in their organization that many naturalists group them all under one genus, Felis; but it is now more usual to class at least the lynxes as a separate genus, while the hunting leopard, or cheetah, forms another. Dr. J. E. Gray divides these again, and makes 17 generic groups; but as this subdivision is not generally adopted, and does not bring out any special features of geographical distribution, I shall not further notice it.

The genus Felis (56 species) has the same general range as the whole family, except that it does not go so far north; the Amoor river in Eastern Asia, and 55° N. Lat. in America, marking its limits. Lyncus (10 species) is a more northern group, ranging to the polar regions in Europe and Asia, and to Lat. 66° N. in America, but not going further south than Northern Mexico and the European shores of the Mediterranean, except the caracal, which may be another genus, and which extends to Central India, Persia, North Africa and even the Cape of Good Hope. The lynxes are thus almost wholly peculiar to the Nearctic and Palæarctic regions. Cynælurus (1 species) the hunting leopard, ranges from Southern and Western India through Persia, Syria, Northern and Central Africa, to the Cape of Good Hope.

Extinct Felidæ.—More than twenty extinct species of true Felidæ have been described, ranging in time from the epoch of prehistoric man back to the Miocene or even the Eocene period. They occur in the south of England, in Central and South Europe, in North-West India, in Nebraska in North America, and in the caves of Brazil. Most of them are referred to the genus Felis, and closely resemble the existing lions, tigers, and other large cats. Another group however forms the genus Machairodus, a highly specialized form with serrated teeth. Five species have been described from Europe, Northern India, and both North and South America; and it is remarkable that they exhibit at least as wide a range, both in space and time, as the more numerous species referred to Felis. One of them undoubtedly coexisted with man in England, while another, as well as the allied Dinictis, has been found in the Mauvaises Terres of Nebraska, associated with Anchitherium and other extinct and equally remarkable forms, which are certainly Miocene if not, as some geologists think, belonging to the Eocene period. These facts clearly indicate that we have as yet made little approach to discovering the epoch when Felidæ originated, since the oldest forms yet discovered are typical and highly specialized representatives of a group which is itself the most specialized of the Carnivora. Another genus, Pseudælurus, is common to the Miocene deposits of Europe and North America.

Family 24.—CRYPTOPROCTIDÆ. (1 Genus, 1 Species.)

General Distribution.
Neotropical
Sub-regions.		Nearctic
Sub-regions.		Palæarctic
Sub-regions.		Ethiopian
Sub-regions.		Oriental
Sub-regions.		Australian
Sub-regions.
— — — —— — — —— — — —— — — 4— — — —— — — —

The Cryptoprocta ferox, a small and graceful cat-like animal, peculiar to Madagascar, was formerly classed among the Viverridæ, but is now considered by Professor Flower to constitute a distinct family between the Cats and the Civets.

Family 25.—VIVERRIDÆ. (8-33 Genera, 100 Species.)

General Distribution.
Neotropical
Sub-regions.		Nearctic
Sub-regions.		Palæarctic
Sub-regions.		Ethiopian
Sub-regions.		Oriental
Sub-regions.		Australian
Sub-regions.
— — — —— — — —— 2 — —1. 2. 3. 41. 2. 3. 41 — — —