1873.] DISTRIBUTION OF ASIATIC BIRDS. 6/7 



so largely to our knowledge, no one has in recent times, so far as I 

 know, collected or examined the birds of these islands in a syste- 

 matic way. 



The consequence is, that though a vast number of birds have been 

 described, and many collections sent home from these islands, the 

 uncertainty with regard to their right names and habitat is so great 

 that, until a careful comparison has been made of such a series of 

 specimens as can be found, I believe, only in the Leyden Museum, 

 it will be impossible to decide with certainty on the distinctness or 

 range of mauy species. 



Our knowledge of many large portions of these islands is also very 

 limited. 



The mountainous interior and east coast of Borneo, the whole 

 northern half of Sumatra, the range forming the backbone and east 

 coast of the Malay peninsula remain to this day either quite unex- 

 plored, or, at any rate, unvisited by naturalists. 



It is therefore impossible to say much of these unknown regions ; 

 but, judging from what we know of the mountains of Java and Ten- 

 nasserim, birds of peculiar types will be found in them, as well as 

 many new species of lowland forms. Mr. Wallace, though he has 

 pointed out very clearly the zoological peculiarities and affinities of 

 the Malay islands, and defined their eastern boundary with certainty, 

 has given no lists of the birds of Java, Sumatra, Borneo, or Malacca. 

 I have therefore compiled a list from the catalogues of the museums 

 of Calcutta, Leyden, the East-India Company, and the British 

 Museum, and corrected it to the best of my ability from all available 

 sources. It is, however, still so inaccurate as regards the Timaliidse, 

 Brachypodidse, and other families, that I have not been able to use 

 it for purposes of analysis in a complete state. If, however, the five 

 families which are most difficult and confused are omitted, viz. Cu- 

 culidse, Timaliidse, Brachypodidse, Lusciniidse, and Dicruridse, there 

 remain about 400 species of land- birds sufficiently well known to give 

 me some confidence in the results of the analysis. 



The opinion I have formed from it is that the islands of Java, 

 Sumatra, and Borneo, together with the peninsula of Malacca, south 

 of the isthmus of Krau, form a well-marked and homogeneous di- 

 vision of the Indo-Malayan region, differing sufficiently from the 

 Himalayan subregion to be separated from it, yet bearing a strong 

 general resemblance to Indo-China and Burmah*. 



The families of birds most numerous in species and individuals in 

 this subregion are the Woodpeckers, Bulbuls, Cuckoos, Barbets, and 

 Fruit-Pigeons. The Trogons, Hornbills, Pittas, and Broadbills are 

 also very characteristic families, and are represented by several species 

 in every part of it ; but though the genera are mostly peculiar to the 

 subregion, they are not so numerous as in the first-named families. 



The Birds of Prey, Flycatchers, and Pheasants are also well repre- 

 sented — the latter by several magnificent species of Argus, Euploca- 



* I have omitted any reference to the Philippine Islands, as I understand that 

 Lord Walden, whose qualifications for such a work are surpassed by none, is 

 now preparing a paper on the ornithology of these islands. 



