326 



GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. 



[part IV. 



Family 78.— PAL^ORNITHID^. (8 Genera, 65 Species.) 



General Distribution. 



I class here a group of birds brought together, for the most 

 part, by geographical distribution as well as by agreement in in- 

 ternal structure, but which is nevertheless of a very uncertain 

 and provisional character. 



Palccornis (1 8 sp.), the Oriental region, Mauritius, Eodriguez, 

 and Seychelle Islands, and a species in Tropical Africa, apparently 

 identical with the Indian P. torquatus, and therefore — considering 

 the very ancient intercourse between the two countries, and the 

 improbability of the species remaining unchanged if originating 

 by natural causes — most likely the progeny of domestic birds in- 

 troduced from India. Prioniturus (3 sp.), Celebes and the 

 Philippine Islands ; (^°^^) Geqfroijus (5 sp.), Bouru to Timor and 

 the Solomon Islands ; Tanygnathus (5 sp.), Philippines, Celebes, 

 and Moluccas to New Guinea ; Ucledus (8 sp.), Moluccas and 

 Papuan Islands ; Psittinus (1 sp.), Tenasserim to Sumatra and 

 Borneo ; Cydopsitta (8 sp.), Papuan Islands, Philippines and 

 North-east Australia ; Loriculus (17 sp.), ranges over the whole 

 Oriental region to Flores, the Moluccas, and the Papuan island 

 of Mysol; but most of the species are concentrated in the district 

 including the Philippines, Celebes, Gilolo, and Flores, there 

 being 1 in India, 1 in Soutli China, 1 in Ceylon, 1 in Java, 1 in 

 Malacca, Sumatra, and Borneo, 3 in Celebes, 5 in the Philip- 

 pines, and the rest in the Moluccas, Mysol, and Flores. This 

 genus forms a transition to the next family. 



