Element in the Fauna of India. 283 



I may add that I now doubt whether there is any difference 

 between the fauna of the Gangetic and Deccan subprovinces 

 sufficient to justify the retention of the distinction. The only 

 importance attached to these subprovinces is that Malay forms 

 are more numerous in the Bengal and Madras subprovinces 

 than elsewhere. The Malabar forms are closely affined to 

 Malay types as a rule, although some are peculiar. I will 

 mention one instance of the distinctions which have led me to 

 suggest the formation of these subprovinces. The families 

 Gyclophoridce, and Diplommatinidaiy amongst the terrestrial 

 Mollusca, are remarkably well represented throughout the 

 Oriental region. Both abound in the Himalayas and in Mala- 

 bar, the Cifcloplioridoi being even more richly represented in 

 the latter province. In the Madras subprovince Dijylom- 

 matinidce are found on the hills with a Malabar fauna but not 

 elsewhere ; and they have not, so far as I am aware, been found 

 in the Bengal subprovince, nor elsewhere in the Indian 

 province. Forms of Cydoplioridm are found throughout the 

 Bengal and Madras subprovinces ; but none are known in the 

 Gangetic and Deccan subprovinces. A Cylostomoid genus 

 Gyclotopsis is found in the Deccan and Gangetic subprovinces ; 

 but the family of Gyclostomidce has a totally different geo- 

 graphical distribution from that of the Cyclophoridce, and the 

 only other known species of Gyclotopsis occurs in the Seychelle 

 Islands *. 



With these few preliminary remarks I pass to the review 

 of Mr. Wallace's lists. The first is the list of genera of 

 Mammalia which inhabit the subregion of Hindustan f. 

 These are 38 in number ; and Mr. Wallace remarks that " 8 

 have so wide a distribution as to give no special geographical 

 indications. Of the remaining 30, whose geogra])hical position 

 we have noted, 14 are Oriental only, 5 have as much right to 

 be considered Oriental as Ethiopian, extending as they do over 

 the greater part of the Oriental region ; 2 (the liyajna and 

 gazelle) show Pala?arctic rather than Ethiopian affinity ; 7 

 are Paleearctic and Oriental, but not Ethiopian ; and only 2 

 ( Gynoilurus and Mellivora) can be considered as exclusively 

 Ethiopian." 



The genera not mentioned by Mr. Wallace are chiefly bats, 



* It is as well to point out that tlie classification usually adopted for 

 terrestrial Mollusca is largely artificial, and founded on characters of 

 secondary importance. The value of trifling peculiarities in the operculum 

 in especial has been much overrated ; and the order Pulmouifera of most 

 vi'riters comprises forms belonging to two distinct orders. 



t L. c. p. 322. 



