Geographical Distribution 355 



b. THE MEDITERRANEO-PERSIC PROVINCE. 



From the eastern portion of the Mediterranean this 

 Province extends through Central Asia to about Long. 

 70, where it meets the Mongolian Province. This district 

 is characterized by a number of desert species, and at least 

 one remarkable genus, that of the Desert Choughs (Podoces\ 

 is peculiar to it. Although Palestine and Syria are included 

 in this province, the occurrence of the Indian Fishing Owl 

 (Ketupa), of a Sun-bird (Cinnyris osea\ and a Glossy Starl- 

 ing (Hagiopsar tristrami) of an African type, must not be 

 overlooked. The confines of this Province reach to Balu- 

 chistan and the frontier of North-western India. 



c. THE MONGOLIAN PROVINCE. 



Within the limits of this Province are found many 

 representative forms of European species, but also of 

 Indian and Chinese birds as well. Its boundaries, for lack 

 of knowledge, cannot be precisely defined as yet. 



IV. THE MANCHURIAN SUB-REGION. 



From the Yangtze Valley north to about 55 N. Lat.,and 

 eastwards to about Long. 100, there are found so many 

 remarkable forms of birds that a natural sub-region must 

 be assigned to the area they inhabit. Here many of our 

 European species are replaced by distinct forms, our Rook 

 ( Trypanocorax frugilegu s) by the Chinese Rook (T. pasti- 

 nator), our Jackdaw (Colaus monedula} by the White-necked 

 Jackdaw (C. dauricus) ; while many tropical forms, such as 

 the Black-headed Kingfisher (Halcyon pileatd), the Blue 

 Roller (Eurystomus calonyx\ and members of the peculiar 

 Eastern genera Pericrocotus, Suthora, etc., breed within 

 its limits. It is mainly from this Province and from 

 the East Siberian Province that emanates the great eastern 



