THE ORIENTAL REGION 135 



Our knowledge of the mammals of this and the next 

 Sub-region is very fairly complete, owing to the excellent 

 handbook recently published by Mr. W. T. Blanford (2). 



The Pangolin (Mania), which, with slight specific modi- 

 fications, is also found in all the other Sub-regions as 

 well as in the Ethiopian Region, is here the sole repre- 

 sentative of the Edentates. The Sub-region is well pro- 

 vided with members of the various families of Ungulates. 

 Three peculiar genera of Antelopes, which are not found 

 beyond the limits of the Sub-region, have been already 

 mentioned; other genera, such as the Gazelles (Gazella), 

 the Goats (Capra), and the Sheep (Ovis), are found in other 

 parts of the world as well as in this Sub-region, but are 

 absent from the remaining- Sub-regions. 



All the families of Ungulates are common to this and 

 the Ethiopian Region, except the Deer-family (Cervidm), 

 the entire absence of which from Africa south of the 

 Atlas has already been commented upon. 



The Rodents do not present any marked features of 

 interest in this Sub-region. One genus, Platacanthomys, 

 a small dormouse-like member of the family Muridaz, 

 is found only in the hills of Southern India, otherwise the 

 genera are mostly wide-spread forms. 



Among the Carnivores the Cats are numerous and 

 large. This Sub-region is the proper home of the Tiger, 

 which, however, has extended itself throughout the whole 

 Region, and even across its boundaries westwards into 

 Persia and Trans-Caspia, and eastwards far into China 

 and Manchuria. The Lion, too, which is essentially an 

 animal haunting dry and comparatively barren countries, 

 is a member of this division of the Indian fauna. It 

 was formerly much more abundant in the peninsula, but 



