754 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XlV . 



'' important of the causes which have determined the likeness or unlike- 

 " ness in the animals of different countries." 



Having now sketched out the limits of our region, let us turn our 

 attention to some of the more characteristic groups of animals which 

 serve to distinguish it from its neighbours. 



Starting with the highest forms, we have the family SimiidcB or 

 Anthropoid Apes represented by the Orang-outang of Sumatra and 

 Borneo, and the Gibbons — the whole family being confined to the 

 Oriental region, except in the case of the Gorilla and Chimpanzee of 

 Africa. Of other apes, monkeys and baboons there are many peculiar 

 forms, but the Langur group, distinguished by their possessing no 

 cheek-pouches, of the genus Semnopithecus, is specially characteristic. 

 Of Lemurs there are two kinds, both being peculiar to the region, vis., 

 Nt/ctkebus tardigradus, the slow Loris, found throughout the countries 

 east of the Bay of Bengal, and Loris gracilis, the slender Loris, con- 

 fined to Southern India and Ceylon. They both afford one of the most 

 remarkable and interesting examples of geographical distribution known, 

 their nearest allies being two genera found only in West Africa, 



In the Cats we are strongly represented with 16 species of the 

 genus Felis in British India and the well-known Hunting Leopard or 

 Chita. The Tiger is of course the truly typical species, its range 

 extending to all parts of the region except Ceylon and Borneo, though 

 it is also found in parts of Central Asia. Of the Viverridce^ compris- 

 ing the Civets, Mungooses, &c., there are a number of peculiar genera, 

 of which I may specially mention Arctictis with its one species known 

 as the Binturoug or Bear-cat, and the curious aquatic Cynogale of the 

 Malay Peninsular, Sumatra and Borneo. The genus Cyon among the 

 Canidw, containing the two species of Wild Dogs, is worthy of note, 

 being found throughout the region ; outside its limits its range is 

 peculiar, as it is found in Central Asia as far north as the Altai, the 

 Amurland and Sagalian, but not, so far as is known, in Northern 

 China or Japan, No true Badgers are found in the region, though 

 three allied and peculiar genera occur, as well as four species of 

 Otters. Of Bears — a family that is spread throughout the Palsearctic, 

 Oriental and Neai otic regions, but are not known to inhabit Australia 

 or Africa south of the Atlas — there are various species. 



Coming to the order Insectivora^ we must note the peculiar family 

 Tupaiid(B or Tree-Shrews, which have a remarkable similarity to 



