TROPICAL LAND LIFE. 463 



sented. Sturgeons and lampreys occur with the ganoid fishes amia 

 and lepidosteus. The latter is found fossil in Europe. 



The Neotropical Region is limited towards the north by the 22d 

 parallel of north latitude. It includes the Galapagos Islands, the 

 Falkland Islands, and West Indies. Mr. Allen subdivides it into two 

 parts, tropical and temperate. The southern temperate area includes 

 the family of Cliinchillidae, the genera Auchenia, Chlamadophorus, 

 Myopotamus, Octodon, Ctenomys, &c. The spectacled bear is con- 

 fined to it. It is divided into Andean and Pampean portions. The 

 tropical part of the region includes three districts Central American, 

 Antillean, and Brazilian. This region includes all the American 

 monkeys, howlers, woolly monkeys, spider monkeys, the capuchins, 

 the marmosets, all the American edentata, such as the ant-eaters, 

 armadilloes, and sloths, many of the American felidse, and many rodents 

 and bats. The birds are more than half passerine. The chief group 

 is the humming-birds, which comprises 120 genera, of which only 5 

 are found in the Nearctic region. Other characteristic birds are the 

 rheas, tanageis, the piculules, the ant-thrushes, together with toucans, 

 trumpeters, screamers, &c. The region is rich in reptiles. There are 

 the great Galapagos tortoise, the matamata, and hydromedusa; the 

 jacare. Among lizards, the ameiva, cnemidophorus, phrynosoma, 

 teius, heloderma, iguanas, the marine amblorhynchus ; and rattle- 

 snakes, which, however, also range farther north. The fishes all belong 

 to nine families, and mainly to the Sihmdse (54 genera), Characinidaa 

 (40 genera), Chromides, and electric eels. There is a close relation- 

 ship to the Ethiopian fishes ; and one Indian species occurs which is 

 not found in Africa. 



Ethiopian Region. All Africa, south of the Sahara, and Mada- 

 gascar, are grouped as the Ethiopian region. Mr. Allen would unite 

 with it the Indian region, but although a connection of a remarkable 

 kind between these regions is evidenced by the range of many genera 

 of mammals, birds, &c., we are disposed to regard the connection as 

 one rather belonging to the later Tertiary time than to the existing 

 order of nature. The African region, compact as it is, includes eastern, 

 western, and southern sections. The following types are characteristic 

 of the African region : The aard wolf (Proteles), hippopotamus, 

 rhinoceros, the wart hogs (Phacochcerus), giraffes, hyrax, the lemurs, 

 golden moles, jumping shrews, African river shrews, lophiomys, and 

 the Cape anteater. Besides these may be mentioned the anthropoid 

 apes, gorilla and chimpanzee, a multitude of antelopes, and various 

 rodents. In the eastern province there are twelve peculiar genera ; 

 thirty-nine are restricted to Ethiopia, but range over more than one 

 division of the province ; thirty also occur in the Indian region. The 

 proportion of Indian species is as well marked in the south and west. 

 The birds are as distinctive; and, like the mammals, indicate a close affi- 

 nity with Indian types. The ostrich helps to bridge over the geographical 

 interval between the African and Indian regions, and the soft tortoises 

 of the Old World are chiefly divided between Africa and the Indian 

 region. The true crocodiles of both provinces may be referred to the 



