2 THANS. ST. LOUIS ACAD. SCIENCE, 



of the globe into six zoological provinces in reference to the geo- 

 graphical distribution of animals, bricfl}-, thus: 



I. The F^AL^ARCTic, comprising Europe, Asia north of the Himala- 

 3-as, Western Asia, and Africa north of the Great Sahara. 



II. The Oriental, comprising Hindostan, Ihdo-China, the Malayan 

 peninsula, and the islands from Sumatra to Celebes inclusive. 



III. The Australian, comprising Australia, New Guinea, New Zea- 

 land, and the more eastern Pacific islands as far north as the Sandwich 

 Islands inclusive. 



IV. The African, comprising Africa (south of the Sahara) and Ma- 

 dagascar. 



V. The Nearctic. comprising North America and a part of Mexico. 



VI. The Neotropical, comprising South America, Central America, 

 Southern Mexico, and the West India Islands. 



This division is founded upon geological evidences as well as 

 upon a minute survey of the distribution of all classes of animals 

 (except Man) as now^ living, with some considerate glances at 

 the fossil forms as far back as the Eocene. His results furnish 

 additional proof to justify the conclusion which other writers, 

 as well geologists and botanists as ethnologists, have drawn from 

 known facts, that the Asiatic continent extended southeastwardly 

 in Mesozoic times so as to include Australia and Nevv' Zea- 

 land ; but he infers that, during the Tertiary, New Zealand was 

 separated from Australia, and at length Australia from the main- 

 land, by the gradual sinking of the continent; and, finally, he 

 comprises all the islands lying to the southward and eastward 

 of Celebes, including the Sandwich Islands, together with Aus- 

 tralia and New Zealand, in one distinct province called the 

 Australian. He infers that, within the Tertiary period. South 

 Africa was separated from Northern Africa by an ocean covering 

 the vSahara, and that Madagascar was connected with the main- 

 land ; and that, within the same period, South America was 

 separated from North America by an ocean over the isthmus, as 

 indicated by a comparison of the fossil and living animals on 

 either side. Brazil and Guiana were also separated into islands 

 by an extension of the ocean between them and the Andes. In 

 like manner (as he might have added) the eastern portion of 

 North America was effectually separated from the western por- 

 tion, first, by a mediterranean ocean, which was cut oft' by an ele- 



