GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 115 



XV. Geographical Distribution. 



The Western Palrearctic sub-region, to which Europe, 

 together with South-western Asia north of the 30th 

 parallel, and Africa north of the Sahara, belongs, is 

 characterised by the development of the Discor/lossidm 

 and Pelobatidae, the former family being represented 

 outside its limits by a single species in Manchuria, 

 Corea, and Northern China (Bombinator orientalis), 

 and another (Liopelma hochstetteri) in New Zealand, 

 of which it is the only Batrachian representative ; 

 whilst the latter, absent from the Eastern Palrearctic 

 sub-region, is again abundant in Southern China, the 

 Eastern Himalayas, Further India, the Malay Archi- 

 pelago and Papuasia, North America, and Mexico. 



The Bufonidse, Hylidae, and Ranidae, of each of 

 which the type genus is represented in Europe, are 

 families of very extensive distribution. The first is 

 found all over the world except in Madagascar and 

 Australia; the second is absent from Africa south of 

 the Sahara, Madagascar, India, and the Malay Penin- 

 sula and Archipelago west of the Moluccas and 

 Sumba; and the third is absent from Australia (with 

 the exception of a single Papuan species found at 

 Cape York) and the greater part of South America. 



Five species have a very wide range in the Palae- 

 arctic region. Three extend from Western Europe 

 and North Africa to China and Japan, viz. Bufo vul- 

 garis, Hi/la arborea, liana esculenta; Bana temporaria 

 ranges from Western Europe to the Pacific coast of 

 Northern Asia and Yesso, and Bufo viridis from the 

 Rhine and Alps, and North-west Africa to Mongolia, 

 Western China, and the Himalayas. 



Of the species which are known to inhabit more 

 than one country, three may be regarded as strictly 

 Western, viz. Discoglossus pictus, Pelodytes punctatus, 

 and Pelobates cultripes. Bufo calamita and Alytes 

 obstetricans may also be described as Western forms, 



