CHAP. X.] THE PAL.EARCTIC REGION. 193 



only two. Myogah, the desman, is a curious long-snouted 

 Insectivorous animal somewhat resembling the water-rat in its 

 habits. Tliere are two species, one found only on the banks of 

 streams in the French Pyrenees, the other on the great rivers of 

 Southern Russia. The other peculiar genus, Rupicapra (the 

 chamois of the Alps), is found on all the high mountains of 

 Central Europe. Almost peculiar are Spalax (the mole-rat) 

 found only in Eastern Europe and Western Siberia; and Saiga, 

 an extraordinary large nosed antelope which has a nearly 

 similar distribution. Highly characteristic forms, which inhabit 

 nearly every part of the sub-region, are, Talpa (the mole), 

 Urinaceus, (the hedgehog), Sorex (the shrew), Meles (the badger), 

 Ursus (the bear), Canis (the wolf and fox), Mustela (the weasel), 

 Lutra (the otter), Arvicola (the vole), Myoxus (the dormouse), 

 and Lepus (the hare and rabbit) ; while Bos (the wild bull) was, 

 until exterminated by man, no doubt equally characteristic- 

 Other genera inhabiting the sub-region will be found in the list 

 given at the end of this chapter. 



Birds. — It is difficult to name the birds that are most charac- 

 teristic of this sub-region, because so many of the most familiar 

 and abundant are emigrants from the south, and belong to 

 groups that have a different range. There is perhaps not a 

 single genus wholly confined to it, and very few that have not 

 equal claims to be placed elsewhere. Among the more charac- 

 teristic we may name Turdus (the thrushes), Sylvia (the war- 

 blers), Panurus (the reedling) Parus (the tits), Anthus (the 

 pipits), MotaciUa (the wagtails), which are perhaps more abun- 

 dant here than in any other part of the world, Emhcriza (the 

 buntings), Pkctrophanes (the snow buntings). Passer (the house 

 sparrows), Loxia (the crossbills), Linota (the linnets). Pica (the 

 magpie.-^), Tetrao (grouse), Lagopus (ptarmigan) and many others. 



I am indebted to Mr. H. E. Dresser, who is personally ac- 

 quainted with the ornithology of much of the North of Europe, 

 for some valuable notes on the northern range of many Euro- 

 pean birds. Those which are characteristic of the extreme 

 Arctic zone, extending beyond 70° north latitude, and toler- 

 ably abundant, are two falcons (Falco gyrfalco and F. peregrinus) ; 







