410 ZOOLOGICAL GEOGRAPHY. [part hi. 



aruensis, but about the locality of which there seems some 

 doubt. 1 Omittiug bats, of which our knowledge is very imperfect, 

 the Papuan Mammals are as follows : — 



We have here no sign of any approach to the Mammalian 

 fauna of the Oriental region, for though Bus has appeared, the 

 Muridee (rats and mice) seem to be wanting. 



In Birds the case is very different, since we at once meet 

 with important groups, either wholly, or almost peculiar to 

 the Papuan fauna. According to a careful estimate, embodying 

 the recent discoveries of Meyer and D'Albertis, there are 

 350 species of Papuan land-birds comprised in 136 genera. 

 About 300 of the species are absolutely peculiar to the dis- 

 trict, while 39 of the genera are exclusively Papuan or just 

 extend into the Moluccas, or into North Australia where it 

 closely approaches New Guinea. In analysing the genera we 

 may set aside 31 as having a wide range, and being of no signifi- 

 cance in distribution ; such are most of the birds of prey, with 

 the genera Hirundo, Caprimulgus, Zosterops ; and others widely 

 spread in both the Oriental and Australian regions, as Dicceum, 

 Munia, Eudynamis, &c. . Of the remainder, as above stated, 

 about 39 are peculiar to the Papuan fauna, 50 are characteristic 

 Australian genera ; 9 are more especially Malayan, and as much 

 Australian as Oriental; while 7 only, appear to be typically 

 Oriental with a discontinuous distribution, none of them occurring 

 in the Moluccas. 



1 See Ann. Nat. Hist, 1873, p. 418, where the species is said to inhabit 

 the Aru Islands and Celebes, which renders it not improbable that it may 

 have been carried to the former islands from the latter. 



