chap, xii.] THE ORIENTAL REGION. 325 



one peculiar genus, Salpornis, whose affinities are Palrearctic or 

 Oriental. 



2. Genera of Wide Eange occurring in Central India. 



Tardus, Monticola, Drymceca, Cisticola, Acrocephalus, Phyllo- 

 scopus, Pratincola, Parus, Pycnonotus, Criniger, Oriolus, Dicrurus, 

 Tchitrea, Zanitis, Corvus, Zosterops, Hirundo, Cotyle, Passer, 

 Ploceus, Estrilda, Alauda, Galandrella, Mirafra, Ammomanes, 

 Motacilla, Anthus, Picus, Yunx, Centropus, Cuculus, Chrysoccocyx, 

 Cqccystes, Coracias, Eurystomus, Merop>s, Alcedo, Ceryle, Halcyon, 

 Upupa, Caprimtdgus, Cypselus, Chcetura, Columba,Turtur, Pterocles, 

 Coturnix, Turnix; — 48 genera. 



3. Pal^earctic Genera occurring in Central India. 



Hypolais, Sylvia, Ourruca, Cyanecula, Calliope, Chelidon, Eu- 

 spiza, Emhcriza, Galerita, Calobates, Corydalla; — 11 genera. 



4. Ethiopian Genera occurring in Central India. 

 Tliamnobia, Pyrrhulauda, Pterocles, Francolinus ; — 4 genera. 



A consideration of the above lists shows us, that the Hindostan 

 sub-region is by no means so poor in forms of bird-life as is 

 generally supposed (and as I had myself anticipated, it would 

 prove to be), possessing, as it does, 151 genera of land-birds, 

 without counting the Accipitres. It must also set at rest the 

 question of the zoological affinities of the district, since a pre- 

 ponderance of 88 genera, against 4, cannot be held to be insuffi- 

 cient, and cannot be materially altered by any corrections in 

 details that may be proposed or substantiated. Even of these 

 four, only the first two are exclusively Ethiopian, Pterocles and 

 Francolinus both being Palsearctic also. It is a question, indeed, 

 whether anywhere in the world an outlying sub-region can 

 be found, exhibiting less zoological affinity for the adjacent 

 regions ; and we have here a striking illustration of the necessity 

 of deciding all such cases, not by examples, which may be so 

 chosen as to support any view, but by carefully weighing and 

 contrasting the whole of the facts on which the solution of the 



