336 On the Avifauna of Madagascar ^c. 



Madagascar witli four modified representatives. Mesites, 

 one of the most remarkable and scarcest birds of Madagascar, 

 can only be naturally placed near the Indian Eupetes. Lastly, 

 the occurrence of the Polynesian Rail [Rallus pectoralis) on 

 Mauritius deserves special notice, although but a single ex- 

 ample of it has been yet obtained. 



In contrast to these important facts the points of con- 

 nexion of the avifauna with Africa fall far into the back- 

 ground. The only species of the order Passeres certainly 

 known to be common to Africa and the Lemurian Region is 

 Corvus scapulatus. Besides this we can only reckon about 6 

 or 7 Birds of Prey, 3 Pigeons, 15 Waders, and 1 Palmiped as 

 of African origin. 



But the negative evidence is still stronger in the same di- 

 rection. The groups of Musophagidse, Coliidse, Lamprotor- 

 nithinse, Buphagidse, Capitonidse, ludicatoridae, Bucerotidae, 

 and Otidinse, so eminently characteristic of Africa, are entirely 

 absent here, besides the genera Gypogeranus, Helotarsus, 

 Coracias, Crateropus, Irrisor, Bradyornis, Dryoscopus, Lani- 

 arius, Telephonus, Prionops, Platystira, Saxicola, Picathartes, 

 Balceniceps, and others,which are remarkably rich inindividuals 

 and species in Africa. Besides this. Larks and Chats, which 

 in the African fauna are specially prominent on account of 

 their numerous forms as well as their individual and specific 

 abundance, are only represented by a single species in Ma- 

 dagascar itself, and in the rest of the Subregion not at all. 



In conclusion, if we take a glance at the families of the 

 Madagascar Subregion as compared with those of Africa, four 

 of these (Mesitidse, Paictidse, Eurycerotidse and Leptosomidae) 

 are peculiar, whilst the Diurnal Accipitres, Pigeons, Honey- 

 eaters, and Cuckoos are richest in species. In a considerable 

 degree this is also the case with the orders Grallse and An- 

 seres. As contrasted with Africa, the Fringillidae, INIeropidse, 

 and Sturnidae (represented by only one genus) are extra- 

 ordinarily poor ; on the other hand, the Coraciidse, Laniidae, 

 Artamidse, Turdidse, Muscicapidse, Pycnonotidse, and Lus- 

 ciniidse are remarkable for their peculiarly modified types, 

 and the Sittida?, which are quite unrepresented in Africa, for 

 the anomalous form Hypherpes. 



