GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION 319 



must have tended to mingle the productions of islands so close to 

 one another. The Faunas of the two are as distinct as those of 

 South America and Africa, and it is only because they are separated 

 by a narrow strait instead of a wide sea that they have become 

 slightly connected by the interchange of a few species and genera. 

 This narroAv sti'ait, it scarcely needs to say, must be of uncommon 

 antiquity. 



Space does not permit our dwelling at any length on the groups of 

 Birds which prevail throughout the Indian Region, but are wholly 

 wanting in the Australian.^ It must here be enough to mention 

 that among them are the Ixidse (Ixus), Phylloiivithinai, Megalseininae 

 (Barbet), V'liUuridx (Vulture), and Phasianidm (Pheasant). Some 

 would add Fringillidx, but the real position of the so - called 

 " Finches " of Australia must still be considered doubtful, and it 

 may prove that they are the less - modified descendants of the 

 generalized group M^hence sprung both the true Fringillidai and the 

 P/omt^^ (Weaver-Bird), if indeed these can be justifiably separated. 

 Then of forms weaMy represented are the other\\dse abundant 

 Turdidse ~ (Thrush), and above all the Ficidse (Woodpecker), of 

 which some 4 or 5 species out of more than 350 just ci'oss the boundary 

 and occur in Lombok, Celebes, or the Moluccas, but are unknown 

 elsewhere in the Region. 



Turning to the Families, which are most characteristic of the 

 Region, we find among those that are almost but not absolutely 

 peculiar^ to it, first the Meliphagidse (Honey-Sucker), one that, 

 though not so polymorphic as has often been alleged, abounds in 

 genera and species of diverse aspect, while only 3 of the former 

 belong to the New-Zealand Region, and but a single species — 

 Ptllotis limbata, which is common from Timor to Lombok- — crosses 

 the sea to Bali and trespasses upon the Indian Region. To this 

 may be added the Pachjcephalidse (Thickhead), Campephagidai 

 (Campephaga), Artamidx and Cacatuidse (Cockatoo), of which last 

 but a single species ever passes the line by appearing in the Philip- 

 pines, and the Megapodiidse (Megapode), though they have a repre- 

 sentative in the group last named, as well as in Borneo, and another 

 in the Andaman Islands ; but are otherwise peculiar to the Australian 



^ lu this and other like cases such forms have been called ' ' lipotypes " by 

 Mr. Sclater {Proc. Zool. Soc. 1882, pp. 311, 312). 



- It is almost certain that no satisfactory limits can be laid down between 

 this so-called Family and Sylviidie (Warbler), but as the latter have few if any 

 members in the Region now under notice, the result would hardly be affected, 

 indubitable Thrushes are, however, scattered among many of the chief groups 

 of islands throughout the Pacitic Ocean. 



* It may be proper to state that here, and wherever the subject of Geographical 

 Distribution is concerned, this word "peculiar" has the technical meaning of 

 " not occurring elsewhere." 



