rs have been discovered in
Persia, where _M. Polaki_ and _M. maraghanus_ occur in miocene deposits.
The latter had migrated as far west as Greece in miocene times; no other
trace of the Badger, however, is known from Europe until we come to the
pleistocene beds. There are a good many cases known among mammals where
the centre of dispersion would indicate to us a similar origin. On the
other hand, there may be no fossil evidence of the occurrence of a
species, or of its ancestors, in Asia, whilst such has been discovered
in Europe. I think, however, that the present range of a species forms a
safer criterion for the determination of its original home, as the
Asiatic continent is still practically unworked from a palaeontological
point of view. In a letter which I received from Professor Charles
Deperet, he advocates the view that the wild Boar (_Sus scrofa_) is
probably of European, and not, as I maintained (_c_, p. 455), of Asiatic
origin; because there seemed to be a direct descent from Hyotherium of
the middle miocene of Europe, through the upper miocene Pig of the
Mount Leberon (_Sus major_) and of Eppelsheim (_Sus antiquus_), and the
pliocene Pigs of Montpellier (_Sus provincialis_) and of the Auvergne
(_Sus arvernensis_). No doubt this appears rather a strong case in
favour of the European origin of the wild Boar, but although the
Tertiary strata of Asia, as I remarked, are as yet little known, a
number of fossil pigs are known from India, Persia, and China, the
oldest being the upper miocene Persian Pig (_Sus maraghanus_). Pigs are
therefore as old in Asia as in Europe, and as a direct intercourse
between the two continents probably never ceased since miocene times, it
is not surprising that this genus should occur in both. Even if the
genus had its origin in Europe, it is quite possible that in later
Tertiary times, the active centre of origin was shifted to the
neighbouring continent, and that henceforth many new species issued
forth from Asia, some of which may subsequently have been modified on
reaching our continent. The wild Boar (_Sus scrofa_), however, to judge
from its general range, I must look upon as merely an immigrant in
Europe. I have no doubt that it originated somewhere in Asia, probably
in the south.

The view I take of the origin of our European Boar is also supported by
Dr. Forsyth Major's recent researches. He was led to a re-investigation
of the history of the Pig while examining a large numb