88 NEARCTIC AND ORIENTAL REGIONS , chap. 



patus, Sigmodon. On the other hand, the Sonoran genera Antilo- 

 capra, Cynomys, Procyon, and the Insectivora Blarina and Sccqmnus, 

 extend further north. Peculiar to this region are only six genera 

 of Eodents, which seems an. insufticient reason for raising the 

 Sonoran province to the dignity of a region. Considered from the 

 point of view of numbers of peculiar forms, the Thibetan subregion 

 has more claims to distinction as a region ; for confined to that area 

 we have the genera Nectogale, Aeluropus, Eupetanrus, Fantholops, 

 Budorcas ; while by slightly extending its limits, a numlier of 

 other peculiar forms might be added. Madagascar has distinctly 

 more claims to regional division. Absolutely confined to it are 

 eleven of the seventeen existing genera of Lemurs, the family 

 Centetidae amousj the Insectivora,- which contains seven genera, 

 and another recently discovered and peculiar genus, Geogale ; it 

 has six peculiar genera of Viverridae ; it has five peculiar genera 

 of Eodents. In addition to this it is negatively characterised 

 by the absence of the following typical African animals, Felidae, 

 Proboscidea, Ehinocerotidae, Ecpiidae, Monkeys, etc. It seems 

 to be impossible to avoid allowing the rank of a region to this 

 part of the world. 



In separating the Nearctic from the Palaearctic region, stress 

 must be laid rather upon the absence of Asiatic and European forms 

 from North America than upon the existence in the northern half 

 of the New World of many peculiar forms. Peculiar to the Nearctic 

 are tlie Goat genus IIaploce7\is, the Eodents Erethizon, Zapus, and 

 the ftimily Haplodontidae. The Mole genus Gondylura is also 

 restricted to this part of the New World. Even so it has more 

 peculiar forms than the Sonoran. If we add to this the absence 

 of Horses, Antelopes except Antilocicpra, Pigs, Hyaenas, etc., there 

 are strong grounds for retaining this division. It must be 

 agreed, however, that it comes rather nearer to the Eurasian 

 district than the latter does to the Oriental. 



The Oriental region has many characteristic animals. It has 

 among the Antliropoid Apes the Orangs and Gibbons; of Old World 

 Apes it has confined to its own area the genera Semnop)ithecus 

 and NasaJis. Of Lenuirs there are Luris and JSfycticehus, and 

 Tarsius, representing a family of that order, or even a sub-order. 

 The Galeopithecidae are entirely Malayan. There are many 

 Eodent, Carnivorous, and Insectivorous genera ; the Ehinoceroses 

 and the Elephant of this region differ from those of Africa. 



