AUSTRALIAN KEALM. 97 



Malayan, are most intimately related to each other in the general 

 characters of their faunas, as they are also to the Indian ; the former, 

 however, incorporates a more decidedly Holarctic element, while 

 the latter is almost strictly tropical. Among the more distinctive 

 mammalian types of the Indo-Chinese tract, or such as do not enter 

 into the composition of the Malayan fauna, are the true bears (Ur- 

 sus), panda (Ailurus), fox, badger, Arctonyx (Melidse), and a pecu- 

 liar genus of civet-cats, Urva. On the other hand, this tract is 

 wanting in the anthropoid apes of the genera Simia (orang Borneo 

 and Sumatra) and Siamanga (Malacca, Sumatra), the spectre-lemurs 

 (Tarsius Sumatra, Borneo), flying-lemur (Galeopithecus), tapir 

 (Tapirus Malay anus Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo), and sun- 

 bear (Helarctos), which belong to the Malayan fauna. The Hima- 

 layan districts (with parts of China) are preeminently the home of 

 the pheasants, which, in addition to several genera peculiar to the 

 Oriental region (Pavo, Argusianus, Polyplectron, Euplocamus), 

 comprise a number of forms, the impeyan, tragopan, &c., held in 

 common with the Holarctic ; the peacock ranges from Ceylon and 

 the Himalayas to Java, and the argus from Siam to Borneo. 



THE AUSTRALIAN BEALM. 



This region, as usually defined, embraces, in addition to the 

 continent of Australia and the Island of Tasmania, all the Austro- 

 Malaysian islands lying to the east of Borneo and Bali i. e. , begin- 

 ning with Celebes and Lombok the vast Polynesian Archipelago, 

 and New Zealand, with its accompanying islets. This last has by 

 some naturalists, and more especially by Professor Huxley, been rec- 

 ognised as a distinct region, although by the majority of zoogeogra- 

 phers it is usually regarded as a sub-region of the Australian. In 

 this place only Australia proper (with Tasmania), Papua (New 

 Guinea, and the minor Papuan islands), and New Zealand are con- 

 sidered to enter into the formation of the Australian region. 



The greater portion of the Australian mainland consists of a 

 table-land of moderate elevation, characterised by a harsh and dry 

 climate, and a general absence of water. Hence the surface of the 

 country bears a more or less barren aspect, supporting but a scant 

 vegetable growth, which is parched throughout the greater part of 

 the year, and consequently rendered unfit for promoting a vigorous 

 development of animal life. A considerable part of the tract passes 



H 



