134 THE GEOGRAPHY OF MAMMALS 



presents a difficult problem to the student of geographical 

 distribution. But so far as the mammals are concerned, 

 the only Australian element in Celebes consists of two 

 species of Phalanger and a few Bats ; the remaining forms, 

 although many of them are very peculiar, have been, 

 doubtless, originally derived from the Oriental rather than 

 from the Australian Region. It seems more logical, there- 

 fore, on the whole, to make the island of Celebes a 

 separate Sub-region of the Oriental rather than of the 

 Australian Region. This position, however, will be con- 

 sidered in greater detail in the account of the Sub-regions. 



Section IV. — The Indian Sub-region 



The Indian Sub-region has a close resemblance to the 

 Palaearctic Region. This is more especially the case in the 

 north-western districts, where the country is practically 

 rainless, and the fauna, owing to similarity of condition, is 

 in many respects closely allied to that of the neighbouring 

 desert regions of Central Asia. The desert district of the 

 Indian Sub-region includes the narrow strip of coast land 

 to the north of the Persian Gulf, the Punjab, Rajputana, and 

 the northern part of the Bombay Presidency. The greater 

 part of the peninsula of India south of the great plains is 

 occupied by the high, and rather dry, plateau of the Deccan 

 and of Central India, which is covered with a thin and 

 scanty jungle. The southern slopes of the western Ghats 

 and the greater part of Ceylon enjoy an abundant rainfall, 

 and are clothed with a tropical forest, in consequence of 

 which their faunas present many points of resemblance 

 both to each other and also to that of the Malayan Sub- 

 region, which has similar physical conditions. 



