556 Mr. D. A. Bannerman on the [Ibis, 



hoiue must remain a mystery, but whereas tbe genus Fringilla 

 is typicall}' Pakearctic tbe genus Columha is cosmopolitan. 

 It would be useless, therefore, to speculate as to where 

 their nearest allies may be found at the present day, or 

 whether they are the direct descendants of European or 

 African stock. 



In dealing with the affinities of an insular fauna, it is, of 

 course, the endemic forms Avhich throw most light upon the 

 subject. It is of much less importance to study those birds 

 which still have connexion with a continent ; but, never- 

 theless, certain lessons can be learned by a critical review 

 of the Birds of Passage and Visitors. 



Before passing on to the Birds of Passage let us see 

 whether the Partial Residents can upset the conclusions 

 at Avliich we have arrived. I might have included the 

 Partial Residents with the Residents, but perhaps, as they 

 still have connexion with a continent, they are best dealt 

 with separately. Only five in number, the Hoopoe, the 

 Heron, and the Kentish Plover are all Palsearctic birds 

 with an enormous range, the Peregrine belongs to a north 

 African race and is closely allied to our European bird, 

 while the Herring-Gull is the Mediterranean race and 

 allied to the Gull which breeds on our own coasts in 

 England. 



We note, therefore, that the Partial Residents all appear 

 to l)e of European origin. 



Of the Summer Visitors the Pale Swift is a north African 

 species, but as representative races are found in southern 

 Dalmatia it is best considered as belongimg to the Mediter- 

 ranean sub-region. 



The Black Swift is not found in Europe, its true home 

 being the Atlantic islands, representative races being found . 

 in the Cape Verde Islands and in Fernando Po. 



Tho Eleonore Falcon is a Mediterranean bird. 



The Common Tern and the Migratory Quail are both 

 the well-known European birds, while the Turtle Dove is 

 oiiviously of European origin if not the identical bird. 



