THE FIVE CHIEF ZOOLOGICAL PROVINCES. 17 
tremity is uncertain. 4. The next includes the whole 
of Africa south of the Great Desert: a part, at least, of 
the countries bordering on the Mediterranean exhibit 
a decided affinity to the European range; while the 
absence of large animals in Madagascar, and the presence 
of genera peculiar to New Holland and the extreme point 
of Southern Africa, lead us to the fifth or the Austra- 
lian range. 5. To this region nature has given peculiar 
characters, both in regard to its geographic situation 
and to its animal productions. New Guinea and the 
neighbouring islands mark its limits in that direction ; 
Australia Proper is its chief seat, and it spreads over 
the whole of the numerous islands of the Pacific Ocean : 
whether this province blends with that of America or of 
Europe, remains for future discovery ; but its connection 
with Africa and Asia has been already intimated. 
(22.) In this distribution, the Arctic regions, it will be 
perceived, are contemplated as a common bond of union, 
wherein the three great Faunas of Europe, Asia, and 
America meet, and are united together. They are con- 
sequently excluded from the rank of a distinct zoological 
province, because they do not contain either genera, or 
but very few species, of animals not found in the tem- 
perate latitudes of the other continents. The Polar 
bear, the Arctic fox, and about a dozen other animals, 
are surely insufficient to constitute one of the primary 
zoological divisions of the earth. If we look more 
particularly to the ornithology of these regions, we 
shall be still more inclined to form such a conclusion. 
The number of birds, terrestrial and aquatic, which 
occur within the Arctic circle, amounts only to twenty- 
two; most of which, during the greater part of 
the year, are found in the northern seas of Britain 
and America, and very many extend their range to the 
lakes and swamps of Mexico. Can we, therefore, say 
of the Arctic regions, as of all the preceding provinces, 
that they are characterised by many exclusive genera, and 
by numerous forms of species ? Certainly not. Not one 
genus of vertebrated animals is peculiar, unless such may 
c 
