326 



GEOGKAPHICAL ZOOLOGY*. 



[part IV. 



Family 78.— PAL^ORNITHID^. (8 Genera, 65 Species.) 



General Distribution. 



Xkothopical 

 Si;b-regions. 



Nearctic 

 Sub-regions. 



Pal^earctic I Ethiopian I Oriental 

 Sub-regions. Sub-regions. Sub-regions. 



Australian 

 Sub-regions. 



1.2-4 1.2.3.4 1.2 



I class here a group of birds brought together, for the most 

 part, by geographical distribution as well as by agreement in in- 

 ternal structure, but which is nevertheless of a very uncertain 

 and provisional character. 



Palmornis (1 8 sp.), the Oriental region, Mauritius, Eodriguez, 

 and Seychelle Islands, and a species in Tropical Africa, apparently 

 identical with the Indian P. torquatus, and therefore— considering 

 the very ancient intercourse between the two countries, and the 

 improbability of the species remaining unchanged if originating 

 by natural causes — most likely the progeny of domestic birds in- 

 troduced from India. Prioniturus (3 sp.), Celebes and the 

 Philippine Islands ; (^"^^^) Geoffroyus (5 sp.), Bouru to Timor and 

 the Solomon Islands ; Tanygnathus (5 sp.), Philippines, Celebes, 

 and Moluccas to New Guinea ; Eclectus (8 sp.), Moluccas and 

 Papuan Islands ; Psittinus (1 sp.), Tenasserim to Sumatra and 

 Borneo ; Cyclopsitta {8 sp.), Papuan Islands, Philippines and 

 North-east Australia; Loriculus (17 sp.), ranges over the whole 

 Oriental region to Flores, the Moluccas, and the Papuan island 

 of Mysol; but most of the species are concentrated in the district 

 including the Philippines, Celebes, Gilolo, and Plores, there 

 being 1 in India, 1 in South China, 1 in Ceylon, 1 in Java, 1 in 

 Malacca, Sumatra, and Borneo, 3 in Celebes, 5 in the Philip- 

 pines, and the rest in the Moluccas, Mysol, and Flores. This 

 genus forms a transition to the next family. 



