298 



GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. 



[part IV. 



between the Oriental and Australian divisions of which they are 

 pretty equally divided. They seem, however, to attain their 

 maximum of beauty and variety in the large islands of Borneo 

 and Sumatra ; from whence they diminish in numbers in 

 every direction till we find single species only in North 

 China, West Africa, and Australia, The genera here adopted 

 are the following : — 



(1087 1088 1090 1092 1093) p^^^ (33 sp.), has the range of the 

 family; Q^^^) Hydrornis (3 sp.), Himalayas and Malaya; 

 EucicUa (3 sp.), Malaya; Melampitta (1 sp.), recently discovered 

 in New Guinea. 



Family 48.— PAICTID^. (1 Genus, 2 Species.) 



This family was established by Professor Sundevall, for an 

 anomalous bird of Madagascar, which he believes to have 

 some affinity for the American Pormicariidse, but which perhaps 

 comes best near the Pittas. The only genus is Fhilepitta, con- 

 taining two species. 



Family 49.— MENTJPtlD^. (1 Genus, 2 Species.) 



The Menuridse, or Lyre Birds, remarkable for the extreme 

 elegance of the lyre-shaped tail in the species first discovered, 

 are birds of a very anomalous structure, and have no near afiinity 

 to any other family. Two species of Menura are known, con- 

 fined to South and East Australia (Plate XII. Vol. I. p. 44U. 



