THE ORIENTAL REGION AND ITS POSITION. 755 



Squirrels in general appearance and habits. They differ from all 

 other members of the order in being not only arboreal but diurnal in 

 their habits. The two curious species of Gijmnura are worthy of men- 

 tion—shrew-like animals closely allied to the Hedgehogs, though they 

 possess fur and not bristles — and only known from the countries east 

 of the Bay of Bengal. Several species of Moles just cross our bound- 

 aries from the PalsearctiG region, but the family is otherwise missing. 

 At the end of the insectivorous section we com« to a most remarkable 

 animal about whose position and affinities there has been much doubt, 

 viz., Gakopithecics, ?oi' which no better popular name has been found 

 than the Flying-Lemur. Like the so-called Fl}'ing-Squirrels, its limbs 

 are united by a membrane or parachute extending to the toes. Two 

 species only are known ; the one inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, Siam. 

 Sumatra, Java and Borneo, the other the Philippine Islands. It is even 

 suggested to create a special ' order ' for their reception. 



Of the Bats and Rodents there is nothing special to note, both being 

 represented by numerous species, though of the latter the Flying- 

 Squirrels (Pteromys) here reach their highest development. 



Our next order is the Ungulata or hoofed quadrupeds, and first in it 

 we must mention the Elephant, found in all suitable localities 

 throughout the region, and which, so far as living species are concerned, 

 is, like the genus Rhinoceros, confined to the Ethiopian and Oriental 

 regions. When we come to the Tapir, however, we find a more unique 

 instance of geographical distribution, for besides the Malayan species, 

 the only other surviving forms inhabit Central and South America. 

 The large section of the Goats and Sheep is only represented in the 

 region by the Wild Goat of the Nilgiris and Southern India, though of 

 course a number of species are found in the higher ranges of the 

 Himalayas close to our boundary line. The Indian Antelope or Black 

 Buck is separated in a genus [Antzlope) of its own, being of course 

 confined to the Peninsular of India, and the Chevrotians or Mouse 

 Deer (Tragulus) belong to a group peculiar to the region, of which 

 the only near ally is a single West African species. Allied to 

 Tragulus is the genus Hydropoles with its one species of so-called 

 Water-Deer found only in the swamps of the Yang-tse-Kiang. 



Representing the lowest order of Mammalia — the Edentata — we 

 have several species of the genus Manis, ;vhose bodies are oovered with 

 an armour ot -horny epidermio plates, arranged like the tiles of a- roof 



