314 THE REGIONS OF VEGETATION. 
which, though superior to the plan of Fabricius, is not suffi- 
ciently important to merit detail. 
More recently, Swainson has given attention to the 
subject, and has dwelt at some length on the distribution of 
the whole animal kingdom. He considers that the diffusion 
of the varieties of man should be a partial guide, and regards 
the great divisions of the earth as so many distinct provinces, 
keeping to their geographical limits, excepting where the 
varieties of the human species overstep them. His opinions 
are supported, often skilfully, by reference to the natural 
groups of animals, more particularly birds, and he has seized 
on the peculiarities of different portions of the continents, 
without defining more minutely the divisions. On one point, 
we venture to differ from him ; he regards the two Americas 
as constituting only one province, whilst to us, they appear 
to differ in productions equally with the others, and, assuredly, 
are as completely geographically defined as Europe or Africa 
from Asia. 
From the dependence of animals on the vegetable kingdom 
for food, it is reasonable to suppose that both are diffused 
after a similar method. Insects, so often drawing their 
nourishment from plants, will naturally follow the range of 
the particular kinds to which they are attached; and birds 
and animals, again, restrict their wanderings to the neigh- 
bourhood of their particular aliment. The immediate 
dependence of animals is first seen in the fructivorous and 
graminivorous insects and birds, and the indirect in the 
raptorial kinds, ever seeking food among their less rapacious 
compeers. In both kingdoms it is equally difficult to assign 
laws for their geography; nor is it likely the object would 
be more rapidly accomplished by community of research ; 
though both the Botanist and Zoologist labour for the same 
object, and in pursuit, perhaps, of the same laws, Each will 
best seek the desired end by the method which his favourite 
science points out, and with the ideas resulting. from à 
knowledge of its peculiarities, and thus two roads will be 
