Distribution of Birds. 529 



regards the general facies of its avifauna, it has more to do 

 with the Oriental Region than with the Ethiopian. But, as 

 Mr. Wallace has argued in his ' Island Life/ the presence of 

 certain eastern genera in jMadagascar does not outweigh the 

 greater number of African types also met with in this island. 

 In Madagascar, in fact, we have probably a relic of the 

 ancient fauna of the Ethiopian Region, before it was invaded 

 by hosts of intruding strangers from the north. 



I think it unnecessary on the present occasion to go further 

 into the question of Madagascar Ornithology and its pecu- 

 liarities. The excellent volumes of MM. Milne-Edwards and 

 Grandidier, which form a part of the latter gentleman^s great 

 work upon Madagascar (55), give us full particulars as to 

 the birds of this country and a series of splendid illustrations. 

 It appears that about 238 species of birds are now known to 

 occur in Madagascar, and that not less than 35 of the genera 

 and 129 of the species are peculiar to it. This is an amount 

 of individuality which is certainly not attained by any other 

 known avifauna of a similar extent. 



III. — The Oriental Region [Regio Orientalis). 



(a) Extent. — Southern Persia, India south of the Hima- 

 layas, Burmah, Siam, Southern China, and the East-Indian 

 Islands down to Celebes and Wallace^s line. 



(b) Characteristic Forms. — The ornithic forms charac- 

 teristic of the Oriental Region are not so isolated as 

 those of the Ethiopian Region, but they are \ery numerous 

 and very varied. Amongst the Passeres the Eiirylamidce 

 form a distinct family entirely confined to the Oriental 

 Region; the Pittida are likewise most highly developed 

 within its limits, but have a few scattered representatives 

 in the Ethiopian and Australian Regions. Other Passerine 

 families which are likewise characteristic of the Oriental 

 Region, although not absolutely confined to it, are the 

 TimeliidcB, Pycnonotidee, Dicruridoe, and Nectariniidm . The 

 genera Acridotheres, Gracula, Phyllornis, and Pericrocotus 

 are also restricted to the Oriental Region. Passing to the 



SER. VI. VOL. HI. 2q 



