THE AUSTRALIAN REGION 43 



Section IX. — The Maorian Sub-region 



The Maorian Sub-region includes, besides New Zealand 

 proper, many smaller groups of islands in the sea around, 

 such as Norfolk Island, the Kermadec group, Chatham 

 Island, Stewart Island, Auckland Island, Campbell Island, 

 and Macquarie Island, and probably Lord Howe's Island, 

 though in some respects this appears to belong rather to 

 the Australian mainland than to New Zealand. 



As in the Polynesian Sub-region, there are no indi- 

 genous terrestrial mammals found in this Sub-region, the 

 only exception being a species of rat {Mus maorium). 

 But it is quite possible, nay, probable, that this Rat, as its 

 name seems to imply, was brought by the invading Maoris 

 into New Zealand from Tonga, or from wherever the 

 Maoris originated ; indeed, Mr. Thomas believes it to be 

 identical with a Polynesian species, Mus exulans (cf. 

 Buller, Trans. N. Z. Inst, xxv. p. 49). The only two bats 

 recorded from New Zealand are Mystacina tuberculata, 

 the genus as well as the species being restricted to New 

 Zealand; and Chalinobus rnorio, which is also found in 

 Australia. 



The islands of New Zealand are indeed remarkable as 

 being the only insular area on the globe, of any consider- 

 able size, which are entirely destitute of mammal-life. 

 All the other large islands of the world possess a Mammal- 

 fauna of greater or less extent related to the continent 

 to which they are nearest, and have consequently been 

 termed by Mr. Wallace " continental islands." All such 

 " continental islands " are separated by narrow seas, of 

 no great depth, from their respective continents. New 



