332 GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. [part iv. 



region closely approaches it in both respects ; but the Austra- 

 lian region is by far the richest, possessing nearly double the 

 genera and species of any other region, and abounding in re- 

 markable forms quite unlike those of any other part of the 

 globe. The following table gives the number of genera and 

 species in each region, and enables us readily to determine 

 the comparative richness and isolation of each, as regards this 

 extensive family : — 



Regions. No. of Genera. Peeuliar Genera. No. of Species. 



Neotropical ...... 13 9 75 



Nearctic ...... 5 1 7 



Palrearctic 3 9 



Ethiopian 6 1 ■>7 



Oriental 12 1 6(3 



Australian 24 14 148 



With the exception of Columha and Turtur, which have a 

 wide range, Trcron, common to the Oriental and Ethiopian 

 regions, and Carpojpliaga, to the Oriental and Australian, most 

 of the genera of pigeons are either restricted to or very 

 characteristic of a single region. 



The distribution of the genera liere admitted is as follows : — 

 Trcron (37 sp.), the whole Oriental region, and eastward to 

 Celebes, Amboyna and Flores, also the whole Ethiopian region 

 to Madagascar; Ptilopus (52 sp.), the Australian region (exclud- 

 ing New Zealand) and the Indo-Malay sub-region ; Alectrcenas 

 (4 sp.), Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands : Carpoplmga 

 (50 sp.), the wdiole Australian and Oriental regions, but much 

 the most abundant in the former; ("''"^) lanthoenas (11 sp.), 

 Japan, Andaman, Nicobar, and Philippine Islands, Timor and 

 Gilolo to Samoa Islands ; (^-"^) Zeuconiclama (1 sp.), Australia ; 

 Loplwlaiimis (1 sp.), Australia ; (""-''^ '""' -"'^^) Alscecomus (2 sp.), 

 Himalayas to Ceylon and Tenasserim ; Columha (46 sp.), 

 generally distributed over all the regions except the Australian, 

 one species however in the Fiji Islands ; Edopistes (1 sp.), east 

 of North America Math British Columbia; Zenaidura (2 sp.), 

 Veragua to Canada and British Columbia ; CEna (1 sp.), Tropical 

 and South Africa; Geopelia (6 sp.), Philippine Islands and Java 

 to Australia ; Macropygia (14 sp.), Nepal, Hainan, Nicobar, Java, 



