32 The Geographical Distribution of Birds 



Regions by Sclater), called the Nearctic for that portion embraced in the New 

 World, and Palsearctic for the Old World portion. In the entire Nearctic area 

 there is but a single peculiar family of birds, the ChamaidcE, or Wren-tits. All 

 the other Nearctic families are common to the Neotropical Region or to the 

 Palaearctic area or to both. This condition of affairs also prevails in the Palae- 

 arctic area, for of the twelve or thirteen hundred species of birds inhabiting it, 

 there is not a single family that is absolutely peculiar to it. For the proper 

 characterization of this Region we must consider the genera, but the presentation 

 of these data in sufficient detail to become intelligible would take us quite beyond 

 the limits of the space available. 



The Ethiopian Region. This comprises all of the continent of Africa below 

 the northern border of the Great Desert, together with much of Arabia and the 

 extreme southern portion of Persia. There is some doubt as to the propriety 

 of including the great island of Madagascar, as some naturalists notably 

 Dr. Allen would accord it primary rank, and there can be no doubt that it 

 possesses some remarkable life forms. The closest affinity of the Ethiopian 

 Region appears to be with the Indian Region which touches it on the east, and 

 Dr. Allen has combined the two areas as the Indo-African Region. Among the 

 many interesting birds at least the following groups are peculiar: Orders Stru- 

 thioniformes (Ostriches) and the extinct sEpyornithiformes (Elephant-birds), 

 the suborders Gypogerani (Secretary-bird), and Mescenatidce (Mesite), the 

 superfamily Scopida (Umbrette), and the families or subfamilies Balcenicipi- 

 tidcB (Shoe-bill), MusophagidfB (Plantain-eaters), Leptosomatidce. (Kirumbos), 

 Coliida (Colics), Philepiitida (Asitys), Hyposittida (Coral-billed Nuthatch), 

 Vangidce (Vanga Shrikes), JErocharida (Helmet-bird). 



The Indian or Oriental Region. This, the last of the six Regions to be 

 denned, is bordered by the Ethiopian region on the west, the indefinitely outlined 

 Holarctic Region on the north, and the rather sharply circumscribed Australian 

 Region on the east. While this Region is the home of a large number of peculiar 

 genera and species, there appears to be but a single peculiar family; namely, the 

 Eurylamida, or Broad-bills. 



