TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 107 



On the Fauna of British India, and its relations to the EtMopian and so- 

 called Indian Fauna. By William T. Blanfokd, F.G.S., C.M.Z.S. 



In ^ the various works published of late years on the geographical distribution 

 of animals, it has been almost invariably assumed that the fauna of India proper 

 and the Malay countries is identical. This is not the case, however ; the fauna of 

 the Himalayas, especially to the eastward, is purely Malay, and that of the hills 

 along the Malabar coast and in Ceylon has very marked Slalay affinities ; but the 

 fauna of the plains of India generally is, if anything, more closely allied to that of 

 Africa than to that of Malayasia. 



Illustrations of this tact were given from the Mammals, Birds, and terrestrial 

 Mollusca, these being chosen as having been most carefully examined, and their 

 range most accurately ascertained. Thus, taking the common larger mammals 

 found in the very centre of India around Nagpiir, excluding small rodents and 

 Cheiroptera, because their range is less accurately known, it is found that one 

 belongs to a genus peculiar to India, nine to genera common to Africa and the 

 Malay countries, eleven to genera, viz. Mellivora, Cynailurm, Hyana, Cam's 

 (two species), Vidjjes, Lepus, Antilope, and Gazella, found also in Africa,' but wanting 

 in the Malay countries, and only live to forms, viz., Presbytis, Cuon, Rusa, Axis, 

 and GavePHs, represented in the Malay countries, but not in Africa. Of the species 

 two are common both to Malayasia and Africa, sixteen are peculiar to India, four 

 (Felis tif/ris, Cuon rutilans, Eusa Aristotelis, and Gavmis gaunis) extend to the 

 eastward into the Malay countries, but not to the westward, while three others 

 {Felis chaus, Cynailurm jiihatvs, and Hycena striata) are common to Africa and 

 India, but extend no further to the east. The generic lists, however, give a far 

 more fair view of the real affinities of the Central-Indian fauna, because many 

 Indian forms, like Mellivoi-a indica, Canis aureus, Lepus rujivordutus, Gazella Bm- 

 7iettii, are scarcely separable as geographical races from those inhabiting the distant 

 Ethiopian region, while such forms as Axis mamlatus and Prochilus lahiatus, 

 although represented in the much less distant Malay countries, are replaced there 

 by forms differing much more widely, and indeed classed by many naturalists in 

 distinctgenera. Also it shoidd be noticed that the African "and Pahearctic types 

 (excluding Himalayan animals), which extend to India but no further to the south- 

 east, comprise the Hyanidce, Canidm (with the sole exception of Cuon), Leporida, 

 and Antelopidm, whilst the only great family of Mammals, which extends to India 

 from the Malay countries, and is not found in Africa south of the Atlas, is the 

 Ce)-vid(e (Busincs). 



The same is seen amongst the Birds ; for instance Neophron, Pterocles, and Otis 

 occur throughout India, but are completely unrepresented in Malayasia. Amongst 

 common Central-Indian forms are : — 



Neophron percnopterus. 



Aquila fusca. 



Cii'cus Swainsoni and C. cineraceus. 



Palseornis torquatus. 



Cypselrs batassiensis. 



affinis. 



Malacocircus Malcolmi and M. Mala- 



baricus. 

 Chattarhsea caudata. 

 Oriolus kundoo. 



Lanius lahtora. 

 Hirundo filifera. 

 Motacilla dukhimensis. 

 Pastor roseus. 

 Gymnoris flavicollis. 

 Ammomanes phcenicura. 

 Pyi-rhulauda grisea. 

 Calandrella brachydactyla. 

 Pterocles exustus. 

 Otis Edwardsii. 



All are either found in Africa or represented by closely-allied forms, but not found 

 or closely represented in the Malay countries. On the other hand, there are 

 several Malay types equally abundant, as — 



Poleornis teesa. 

 Xantholiiema indica. 

 Eudynamys honorata. 

 Lanius erythronotus. 



Tephrodornis pondiceriana. 

 Orthotomus longicauda. 

 Acridotheres tristis. 

 Pavo cristatus. 



