Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-03-14
DIstribution of Animals.

Prof. Huxley in a recent lecture OF
this subject, delivered before the Litera
ry and Philosophical Society, Newcastle
on Tyne, England, says .
If any one could be transported sue
cessively, first to New Zealand, then tC
Australia, then to South America, and
afterwards to any other part Of the
world, he would find the conditions Of
animal life in each OF those great prov
inces far more contracted and different
than in any other that could be classified.
New Zealand comprised not a single in
digenous mammal Zone or two had been
introduced), excepting those which had
flown or swan TO the island neverthe-
less it had an animal population of a
most remarkable character, as the ap-
teryx, bird without wings, allied TO
the emu of Australia, but Of gigantic
diners ons. There were peculiar rep
tilss in New Zealand, but no snakes, no
frogs, no salamanders.
Ia the next division, Australia, when
discovered, not single ape was found
of any description, or any animal allied
to it though on the same parallel of
iatitsds as South Africa, where these an
imals abound, bats and other flying crea-
lures we're there, but none of those
known as insectiyorOus, and neither the
aOle nor hedgehog, Notwithstanding that
it is a eeustFy abounding in insects; not
a single hare OF rabbit or animals allied
to them, with the exception Of peculiar
rat and not single hoofed quadruped,
or any of the carnivorous order. 1t pos
sessed gnaBing creatures OF rodents and
marsupials, those animals which come
the nearest to reptiles in every Partiep-
lar of their organization, and formed
links, so to speak, between the higher
mammals and the reptiles. AustrO-Co-
lumbia, comprising that portion OF the
from Cape Horn, in the north
eFn limits of Mexico, contains a much
more varied assemblage Of animals than
Australia. 4 very large proportion OF
ordinary mammals, including a great
many monkeys, though all totally differ
ent, in many respects, from those OF the
old world, are met with one Of the dlf-
ferences in the last mentioned animals
being the possession of one tooth more
than the monkey of the old world, and
another difference in the form OF the
face. There are numerous bats, but not
a single specimen of the inseetivorous
of any description, with the ex-
eeption Of what is seen in Cuba, although
there is a marvellous wealth of insect
life.
No elephants, not horse in all those
vast pampas plains was indigenous,
though millions are now running wild
nor was there a single OK, sheep, or any
animal allied to them with any degree OF
elcseness. There we're a few deer,
peculiar form of camel, and although
there was no true pig, there was g pee
cary" The slOth family,swas indigenous,
in South America and no where else, and
the edentated animals, having no teeth
in the front of their jaws, were also found
there almost exclusively. As relates to
birds, this extensive region, including all
South and Central America, and Mexico,
is one Of the most wonderful in the
world. All varieties are found there.
In reference to North America, Prof.
Huxley is in error when he says that it
has no marsupials-he forgot. our opos-
sum. 1t is the region of the insectivor-
Gus tribe. though it is by no means rich
in insect life. The great area of North
America, the Malay Archipelago, and
the whole Of South Africa, contained all
the hoOfed quadrupeds-the OK, buffalo,
sheep, antelope, giraffe, and PrOdigious
quantity of earniyorOus animals, hons,
tigers, hy@nas, dogs and wolves. The
area is wonderfully uniform
in its animal populations. The polar
bear, arctic fox, wolves and the like,
were all characteristic of the great Are
tic fauna.