88 NEARCTIC AND ORIENTAL REGIONS CHAP. 
patus, Sigmodon. On the other hand, the Sonoran genera Antilo- 
capra, Cynomys, Procyon, and the Insectivora Blarina and Scapanus, 
extend further north. Peculiar to this region are only six genera 
of Rodents, which seems an. insufficient reason for raising the 
Sonoran province to the dignity of a region. Considered from the 
point of view of numbers of peculiar forms, the Thibetan subregion 
has more claims to distinction as a region ; for confined to that area 
we have the genera Nectogale, Aeluropus, Hupetaurus, Pantholops, 
Budorcas ; while by slightly extending its limits, a number of 
other peculiar forms might be added. Madagascar has distinctly 
more claims to regional division. Absolutely confined to it are 
eleven of the seventeen existing genera of Lemurs, the family 
Centetidae among the Insectivora, which contains seven genera, 
and another recently discovered and pecular genus, Geogale ; it 
has six peculiar genera of Viverridae ; it has five pecular genera 
of Rodents. In addition to this it is negatively characterised 
by the absence of the following typical African animals, Felidae, 
Proboscidea, Rhinocerotidae, Equidae, Monkeys, ete. It seems 
to be impossible to avoid allowing the rank of a region to this 
part of the world. 
In separating the Nearctic from the Palaearctic region, stress 
must be laid rather upon the absence of Asiatic and European forms 
from North America than upon the existence in the northern half 
of the New World of many peculiar forms. Peculiar to the Nearctic 
are the Goat genus Haploceros, the Rodents Lrethizon, Zapus, and 
the family Haplodontidae. The Mole genus Condylura is also 
restricted to this part of the New World. Even so it has more 
pecuhar forms than the Sonoran. If we add to this the absence 
of Horses, Antelopes except Antilocapra, Pigs, Hyaenas, ete., there 
are strong grounds for retaining this division. It must be 
agreed, however, that it comes rather nearer to the Eurasian 
district than the latter does to the Oriental. 
The Oriental region has many characteristic animals. It has 
among the Anthropoid Apes the Orangs and Gibbons; of Old World 
Apes it has confined to its own area the genera Semnopithecus 
and Nasalis. Of Lemurs there are Loris and Nycticebus, and 
Tarsius, representing a family of that order, or even a sub-order. 
The Galeopithecidae are entirely Malayan. There are many 
Rodent, Carnivorous, and Insectivorous genera; the Rhinoceroses 
and the Elephant of this region differ from those of Africa. 
