246 ELEMENTS OF ORNITHOLOGY, 
The avifauna of Alaska is very largely Palearctic, only twenty 
genera out of sixty-three are peculiar to America. 
Amongst the more northern birds are the Divers, not appear- 
ing to breed south of. 45° N. latitude. 
“Greenland possesses two genera which are peculiar to the 
Nearctic region ; but various species which breed there are of 
European kinds, as, ¢.g-, the Sea-Eagle and the Ringed Plover. 
The Tropic-birds (Phaeton) breed in the Bermudas. These 
islands do not possess one peculiar species; but they form an 
important resting stage for migrants leaving their northern 
homes in Labrador and Greenland for warmer winter- -quarters. 
Tux Neorropican RxGion is perhaps the richest of the whole 
world, and only yields to that next to be noticed (the Australian) 
in the peculiarity of its avifauna. Not less than twenty-four 
families are absolutely peculiar to it, while eight others are 
almost so, only, as it were, straggling into the Nearctic region. 
Amongst the most remarkable of its peculiar families are the 
Toucans (hamphastide), the Jacamars ( Sara the Mot- 
mots (Momotide), the Todies (Todide), the Tinamous (Z%ina- 
mide), the Hoatzin( Opisthoconide), the Trumpeters (Psophiide), 
and the Screamers (Palamedeide). It is also the exclusive 
home of the Condor, the Sun-bittern, the Cariama, the Rheas, 
the true Macaws, and a multitude of Humming-birds, forming 
one hundred and fifteen genera. The Curassows are almost 
entirely Neotropical, and, altogether, there are something 
like six hundred genera which are absolutely peculiar to this 
region. 
The P atagonian subregion is specially remarkable for its 
Rheas and the Penguins of its shores. The family of Plant- 
cutters (Phytotomide) is almost peculiar to it, and altogether 
there are about forty-six genera of birds here found, but not 
found in any other of the six subregions. It is a curious fact 
that each of the two chief islets of the Juan Fernandez group 
has a Chilian Humming-bird as well as a species peculiar 
to it. 
The Falkland Islands have about half a dozen peculiar species 
of birds. 
The Brazilian subregion has forty-two peculiar genera. Its 
fauna has much aflinity to that of the Amazonian Valley ; but 
it is distinguished partly by the entrance within its southern 
borders of the Rhea, Cariama, and the Plant-cutters on the one 
hand, and by the fact that the Hoatzin, the Sun-bittern, and the 
