312 GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. [PART iv. 



region except Indo-Malaya, the Palsearctic to the above- 

 named limits, and the island of Celebes on the confines 

 of the Australian region ; Eurystomus (8 sp.), West and 

 East Africa and Madagascar, the whole Oriental region except 

 the Peninsula of India, and the Australian as far as Australia 

 and the Solomon Islands; Brachypteracias (possibly allied 

 to Leptosomus .?) (4 sp.), Madagascar only, but these abnormal 

 birds form a distinct sub-family, and according to Mr. Sharpe, 

 three genera, Brachypteracias, Atelornis, and Gedbiastes. 



A most remarkable feature in the distribution of this family 

 is the occurrence of a true roller (Coracias temminckii) in the 

 island of Celebes, entirely cut off from the rest of the genus, 

 which does not occur again till we reach Siam and Burmah. 



The curious Pseudochelidon from West Africa may perhaps 

 belong to this family or to the Cypselidae. (Ibis. 1861, p. 321.) 



FAMILY 63. MEEOPID^E. (5 Genera, 34 Species.) 



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION. 



The Meropidae, or Bee-eaters, have nearly the same distribution 

 as the Kollers, but they do not penetrate quite so far either into 

 the Eastern Palsearctic or the Australian regions. The distribu- 

 tion of the genera is as follows : 



Merops (21 sp.), has the range of the family, extending on the 

 north to South Scandinavia, and east to Australia and New 

 Guinea ; Nyctiornis (3 sp.), the Oriental region, except Ceylon 

 and Java ; Meropogon (1 sp.), Celebes ; Meropiscus (3 sp.), West 

 Africa; Melittophagus (6 sp.), Ethiopian region, except Madagascar. 



