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ZOOLOGY 



Holarctic 

 region 



The circum- 

 polar biota 



Distinctions 

 between 

 Nearctic and 

 Palaearctic 

 regions 



Neotropical 

 Region 



constellation of the Great Bear, which we call the 

 Dipper, may be seen in the sky. Sclater's use of it is, 

 therefore, philologically correct. 



4. The proposal has been made to combine the 

 Nearctic and Palcearctic regions, making a single im- 

 mense Holarctic Region. It is true that the northern 

 regions of the two hemispheres have in many respects 

 similar products, and when we go far north, or examine 

 the summits of the higher mountains, we find a circum- 

 polar biota, with identical species on the two sides of the 

 world. Nevertheless, there are very marked differ- 

 ences, which justify the separation of the Nearctic from 

 the Palaearctic. Thus, for example, the numerous 

 North American mice and related animals mostly 

 represent genera distinct .from those of the Old World. 

 In America we find skunks, raccoons, the pronghorn 

 antelope, the mountain goat, the prairie dogs, the 

 opossum, and many other animals quite distinct from 

 those of Europe and Asia. So also we observe many 

 distinctive birds, from the turkey to the humming bird, 

 the mocking bird, and the turkey buzzard, the snowbird 

 and the vireos, a multitude of warblers, etc., etc. 

 Similar differences exist among reptiles, amphibians, 

 and fresh-water fishes. Recent studies have shown 

 that some of the fishes supposed to belong to European 

 genera are in fact quite different. Among the flowering 

 plants the North American flora is rich in special types, 

 found nowhere else in the world. There are also 

 numerous genera of plants, such as the sunflowers, 

 which are exclusively American, but occur in both the 

 Nearctic and Neotropical regions. 



5. The Neotropical Region is universally recognized 

 as one of the most distinct, as might be expected from 

 its relatively isolated position. Its animals include a 



