Dr. Sclater on the Distribution of the Genus Turdus. 277 



tian forest. First of all, I suspect, the White Ants make a 

 nest, then the seeds of the fern are deposited in it and grow, 

 and afterwards this Tropic-bird takes possession of it. 



So much for the birds of Savanne. The absence there of two 

 species which are elsewhere so common is curious — I mean 

 Zosferops borbonica and Munia punctularia ; the first I never 

 saw near the sea, the second nowhere at all in the district. I 

 have heard of a fine Pigeon, which is said to occur in this part 

 of the island, but it seems to be gradually getting scarcer, owing 

 to the destruction of the forests, and I was not lucky enough to 

 meet with it. I suspect it will turn out to be Alectrocenas niti- 

 dissima. 



XXVIII. — Remai'ks on the Geographical Distribution of the Genus 

 Turdus. By Philip Lutley Sclater. 



(Plate VIII.) 



The Thrushes proper, of the genus Turdus as now restricted, 

 although hardly to be called cosmopolitan in their range, since 

 this particular form is not known to occur in New Guinea, 

 Australia, and the greater portion of the Pacific islands, are 

 very widely distributed over the earth's surface. In company 

 with a figure of Turdus fidviventris (a fine American species of 

 this group, which has lately been described in the ' Proceedings* 

 of the Zoological Society,^ and will be readily recognized by its 

 distinct style of coloration), it may not be out of place to ofi'er 

 some few remarks on the present state of our knowledge of the 

 geographical distribution of the members of this genus. 



Beginning with the PAL^ARCTict region, which embraces the 

 whole northern part of the Old World, the species of Thrush 

 inhabiting its western portion are six in number — the well- 

 known Turdi torquatus, merula, viscivorus, pilaris, musicus, and 

 iliacus. Though Turdus migratoriv,s and one or more of the 

 group of little Thrushes allied to T. wilsoni of the United States 

 have occurred accidentally in Europe, they cannot be con- 

 sidered to have any real claims to a place in its Avifauna. 



* See P.Z.S. 1857, p. 273, et 1859, p. 331. 



t Cf. Journ. Proc. Linn. Soe., ZooL, ii. p. 130 et seq. 



