chap, xi.] THE ETHIOPIAN REGION. 271 



2 genera, Notioxerms and Homceodera, which are altogether 

 peculiar and isolated, and contain 9 species. Thus no less than 

 27 species, or more than half of the undoubtedly indigenous 

 beetles, belong to 5 peculiar and very remarkable genera of 

 Ehyncophora. 



It appears from this enumeration, that the peculiar species as 

 a whole, exhibit most affinity to the Ethiopian fauna ; next to 

 the South European fauna ; and lastly to that of the islands of 

 the North Atlantic ; while there is such a large amount of pecu- 

 liarity in the most characteristic forms, that no special geogra- 

 phical affinity can be pointed out. 



Land Shells. — These consist of about a dozen living species, and 

 about as many extinct found in the surface soil, and probably 

 exterminated by the destruction of the forests. The genera are 

 Succinea, Zonites, Helix, Bidimus, Pupa, and Achatina. The 

 Bidimi (all now extinct but one) comprise one large, and 

 several small species, of a peculiar type, most resembling forms 

 now inhabiting South America and the islands of the Pacific. 

 Zonites is chiefly South European, but the other genera are of 

 wide range, and none are peculiar to the island. 



The marine shells are mostly Mediterranean, or West Indian 

 species, with some found in the Indian Ocean ; only 4 or 5 species 

 being peculiar to the island. 



Tristan d'Acunha. — This small island is situated nearly mid- 

 way between the Cape of Good Hope and the mouth of the La 

 Plata, but it is rather nearer Africa than America, and a little 

 nearer still to St. Helena. An island so truly oceanic and of whose 

 productions so little is known, cannot be placed in any region, 

 and is only noticed here because it comes naturally after St. Helena. 

 It is known to possess three peculiar land birds. One is a thrush 

 (Ncsocichla eremita) whose exact affinities are not determined ; 

 the other a small water-hen (Gallinula nesiotis) allied to our 

 native species, but with shorter and softer wings, which the bird 

 does not use for flight. A finch of the genus Crithagra shows 

 African affinities ; while another recently described as Nesospiza 

 aeunlim (Journ. fur Orn. 1873, p. 154) forms a new genus said to 

 resemble more nearly some American forms. 



