THE ORIENTAL REGION 129 



as far as the highlands of Abyssinia. But representatives 

 of all of them are found in the Palaearctic Region. 



Among the Rodents of the Oriental Region the Squirrels 

 are especially numerous, there being upwards of fifty 

 species found within its limits, nearly all of which are 

 arboreal in their habits. 



Although there are no families of Carnivores peculiar to 

 the Region, there is a considerable number of genera of 

 Civets ( Viverridte) not found elsewhere, such as the Para- 

 doxures (Paradoxurus) the Binturong (Arctictis) (Fig. 26, 

 p. 128), and the genera Prionodon, Arctogale, and Hemi- 

 gale. The Bears (Ursidte), too, which are quite unknown 

 in Africa, are characteristic members of the Oriental 

 Mammal-fauna. 



Among the Insectivores we find two peculiar families. 

 One of these has been formed for the reception of Galeo- 

 pithecus, the so-called Kaguan, an animal of about the size 

 of a small cat, with thin flaps of skin between the fore and 

 hind limbs and tail, which enable it to make flying leaps 

 from tree to tree (see Fig. 27, p. 130). The other family 

 {Tupaiidaz) contains two genera. One of these, Tupaia, 

 with at least twelve species, is an abnormal Shrew with a 

 curious external resemblance to the Squirrels, with which, 

 however, it has no real connection. The other, Ptilocercus, 

 is distinguished from Tupaia by its peculiar tail, which is 

 provided at the end with a bilateral fringe of long hairs. 

 Both these families are confined to the Malayan portion of 

 the Oriental Region. 



Bats are numerous in the Oriental Region, and many 

 of the genera extend eastwards into the Austro-Malayan 

 islands. Only four genera, each with a single species, are 

 peculiar. 



