140 SCLATER ON THE GENERAL DISTRIBUTION OP AVES. 



On the whole, therefore, I think we cannot allow for the "Western 

 Palaeotropic region less than 1250 species, which, with an area of 

 12,000,000 square miles, gives one species to each 9600 square 

 miles nearly. 



III. Indian or Middle Pal^otropical Eegion 

 {Begio Indica). 



Extent. — India and Asia generally south of Himalayas, Ceylon, 

 Burmah, Malacca and Southern China, Philippines, Borneo, Java, 

 Sumatra and adjacent islands ; an area of perhaps 4,000,000 square 

 miles. 



Characteristic forms. — Sarpactes, Colocalia, Calyptomena^ Eu- 

 rylamus, IBuceros, Oarrulax, lAotTirix, Malacocercus, Pitta, Tima- 

 lia, Pycnonotus, PJiyllornis, Pericrocotus, Analcipus, AcridotJieres, 

 Grracula, Sasia, Meyalcema, PJioenicophaus, Dasyloplius, Palceornis, 

 Pavo, Ceriornis, Polyplectron, Argus, Euplocamus, PoUuIus, 

 Casuarius. 



Mr. Swainson, in his article in H. Murray's * Encyclopedia of 

 Geography,' considers the mainland of Southern Asia and the 

 larger Indian islands as belonging to two different zoological 

 regions. But it is now generally acknowledged that this is not 

 the case. There are so many generic forms which commence in 

 Southern Asia and extend over the greater part of the Indian Ar- 

 chipelago, that it is not possible to look upon these countries as 

 belonging to different regions, though they doubtless form distinct 

 subkingdoms or provinces, in each of which will be found corre- 

 sponding representative species. How far in an eastern direction 

 we are to extend the boundaries of the Middle Palseotropical 

 Eegion is-a difficult question, which can hardly be answered until we 

 know more of the Natural History of these great islands ; but 

 there is no doubt that Borneo, Sumatra and Java belong to this 

 zoology, but probably not Celebes. 



The most characteristic forms of the Indian region are without 

 doubt the PJiasianidce, the whole of which magnificent group of 

 birds may be said to be confined to this region, — one or two species 

 only straying into the confines of Palsearctic zoology, and a single 

 genus, Meleagris, representing them in America, and the few birds 

 of the genera Numida, Agelastus and Phasidus in Africa. 



If the number of species duly attributable to the Middle Palaeo- 



