INTBODUCTION. XXXI 



on the north-west Himalayas and adjoining hilly districts. Two 

 species of Wild Sheep occur, one in the Punjab Salt Eange, the other 

 in the Himalayas. The occurrence of the former at such a low 

 altitude, and in such a hot summer climate, is very remarkable. 



The magnificent Gaur, the Bison of sportsmen, abounds in the 

 forests of Southern India, and extends more sparingly into Central 

 India, as well as to Burmah and the Malay peninsula ; but the 

 wild Buffalo is found in the eastern portions of both Northern and 

 Central India. 



Two species of Scaly Ant-eater, Manh, occur in India, one 

 common throughout all India ; the other a Chinese species, just 

 reaching our north-east limit at Darjeeling. 



Little is known of the distribution of the marine Cetacea and 

 Sirenia. The Dugong occurs sparingly in the southern coasts of 

 India, and various species of DelpJdmis, one Glohicephcdus, and 

 one Balccnoptera, are occasionally captured oS" the coasts or stranded. 

 The Ganges and the Indus abound with a fresh-water Porpoise of a 

 peculiar type, Platanista. 



To conclude, Southern India, more particularly the richly-wooded 

 Malabar coast, possesses more species peculiar to it than all Central 

 and Northern India, except the Himalayan range. Of the 

 animals only found in this latter region, several equally belong to 

 the Indo-Chinese Fauna, of which they appear to be the western 

 extension, or to Central Asia ; still a moderate number of species 

 appear to be peculiar to this mountainous region. 



