One of the vexing problems of geographic distribution is the explanation of why one suborder of rodents, the Hystricomorpha, is characteristic of South America, the southern parts of Eurasia, and Africa, but does not seem ever to have been present in North America until very recent times. Few authors have doubted that the Hystricomorpha represent a natural group with a common ancestry. In order to explain this distribution, it has been necessary to invoke continental drift, land bridges, trans-oceanic floating, or other hypotheses which seem rather dubious to many students. An attempt will be made to show that an alternative interpretation, involving only more -orthodox and established migration routes, is at least as well supported by the available evidence. The Hystricomorpha include a basic group of recent-forms, together with their fossil relatives, which are almost universaly considered to be closely related. This group includes numerous South American rodents (porcupines, guinea pigs, chinchillas, agoutis, pacas, vizcachas, capybaras, etc.); our North American porcupine (Erethizon); the African, South Asiatic, and southern European porcupines (Hystricidae); and the African Petromyidae and Thryonomyidae. In addition, a number of other families, restricted to Africa, whose correct taxonomic position is very uncertain, are often placed here (Bathyergidae, Ctenodactylidae, Pedetidae and Anomaluridae).