316 ZOOLOGICAL GEOGRAPHY. [part hi. 



more allied to the bears, forming a distinct family of Carnivora, 

 and confined to the high forest-districts of the Eastern Hima- 

 layas and East Thibet ; Melursus and Helardos, peculiar forms of 

 bears ; Platanista, a dolphin peculiar to the Ganges and Indus. 

 Among Euminants it has the beautiful chevrotain, forming 

 the genus Tragulus in the family Tragulidse ; with one peculiar 

 genus and three peculiar sub-genera of true deer. The Antilo- 

 pinse and Caprinse are few, confined to limited districts and not 

 characteristic of the region ; but there are everywhere wild cattle 

 of the genera Bibos and Bubalus, which, with species of Rhinoceros 

 and Mephas, form a prominent feature in the fauna. The Kodents 

 are less developed than in the Ethiopian region, but several forms 

 of squirrels everywhere abound, together with some species of 

 porcupine ; and the Edentata are represented by the scaly manis. 

 Birds. — The families and genera of birds which give a cha- 

 racter to Oriental lands, are so numerous and varied, that we 

 can here only notice the more prominent and more remarkable. 

 The Timaliida?, represented by the babblers (Garrulax, Pomator- 

 hinus, Timalia, &c), are almost everywhere to be met with, and 

 no less than 21 genera are peculiar to the region; the elegant 

 fork-tailed Enicurus and rich blue Myiophonus, though com- 

 paratively scarce, are characteristic of the Malayan and Indo- 

 Chinese faunas ; the elegant little " hill-tits " (Liotrichidge) 

 abound in the same part of the region ; the green bulbuls {Phyl- 

 lornis) are found everywhere ; as are various forms of Pycnono- 

 tidse, the black and crimson " minivets " (Pericrocotus), and the 

 glossy " king-crows " (Dicrurus) ; Urocissa, Platylophus and Den- 

 drocitta are some of the interesting and characteristic forms 

 of the crow family ; sun-birds (Netariniida?) of at least three 

 genera are found throughout the region, as are the beautiful little 

 flower-peckers (Dicseidse), and some peculiar forms of weaver- 

 birds (Ploceus and Munia). Of the starling family, the most 

 conspicuous are the glossy mynahs (Eulabes). The swallow- 

 shrikes (Artamus) are very peculiar, as are the exquisitely 

 coloured pittas (Pittidse), and the gaudy broad-bills (Eury- 

 lsemidse). Leaving the true Passeres, we find woodpeckers, 

 barbets, and cuckoos everywhere, often of peculiar and re- 



