CHAP. XII, ] THE ORIENTAL REGION. 327 
vince. The main features of this division are,—the appearance 
of numerous animals allied to forms only found again in the 
Himalayas or in the Malayan sub-region, the possession of 
several peculiar generic types, and an unusual number of 
peculiar species. 
Manmalia.—Among Mammalia the most remarkable form 
is Loris, a genus of Lemurs altogether peculiar to the sub- 
region; several peculiar monkeys of the genus Presbytes ; the 
Malayan genus Tupaia ; and Platacanthomys, a peculiar genus 
of Muride. ; 
Birds—Among birds it has Ochromela, a peculiar genus of 
flycatchers ; Phenicophaés (Cuculide) and Drymocataphus (Tima- 
liide), both Malayan forms; a species of Myiophonus whose 
nearest ally is in Java; Trochalopteron, Brachypteryx, Buceros 
and Loriculus, which are only found elsewhere in the Himalayas 
and Malayana. It also possesses about 80 peculiar species of 
birds, including a large jungle fowl, one owl and two hornbills. 
Reptiles—It is however by its Reptiles, even more than by its 
higher vertebrates, that this sub-region is clearly characterised. 
Among snakes it possesses an entire family, Uropeltide, consisting 
of 5 genera and 18 species altogether confined to it,—Rhinophis 
and Uropeltis in Ceylon, Silybura, Plecturus and Melanophidium 
in Southern India. Four other genera of snakes, Haplocercus, 
Cercaspis, Peltopelor, and Hypnale are also peculiar; Chersydrus 
is only found elsewhere in Malaya; while Aspidura, Passerita, 
and Cynophis, only extend to Hindostan; and species of Hryz, 
Echis, and Psammophis show an affinity with Ethiopian and 
Palearctic forms. Among lizards several genera of Agamidc 
are peculiar, such as Otocryptis, Lyricoephalus, Ceratophora, Co- 
photis, Salea, Sitana and Charasia. In the family Acontiade, 
Nessia is peculiar to Ceylon, while a species of the African 
genus Acontias shows an affinity for the Ethiopian region. 
Amphibia.—The genera of Amphibians that occur here are 
generally of wide range, but Nannophrys, Haplobatrachus, 
and Cacopus are confined to the sub-region; while Megalo- 
phrys is Malayan, and the species found in Ceylon also inhabit 
Java. 
