CHAP. XI.] 



THE ETHIOPIAN EEGION. 



277 



Strigid.e. 



44. Athene 



45. Scops 



Eallid^. 



46. Kallus 



47. Porzana 



SCOLOPACID.E. 



48. Gallinafro 



Species. PlATALEID.E. 



} 49. Ibis ... 



PODICIPID.E, 



iSiicc'ies. 

 1 



50. Podiceps 



Total peculiar species of Eth. ) ^^ 

 or Or. genera ... ... / ' 



56 



Species of Birds common to Madagascar and Africa or Asia. 



1. Cisticola cnrsitans. 



2. Corvus scapulatus. 



3. Crithagra canicollis. 



4. Merops superciliosus. 



5. CoUocalia fuciphaga. 



6. (EnA capensis. 



7. Aplopelia tymiianistria. 



8. Falco minor. 



9. Falco conculor. 



10. Milvus pegyptius. 



11. Milvns migrans. 



12. Strix flammea. 



These three tables show ns an amount of speciality hardly to 

 be found in the liirds of any other part of the globe. Out of 

 111 land-birds in Madagascar, only 12 are identical with species 

 inhabiting the adjacent continents, and most of these belong to 

 powerful-winged, or wide-ranging forms, Mdiich proljably now 

 often pass from one country to the other. Tlie peculiar species 

 — 49 land-l)irds and 7 waders, or aquatics — are mostly well- 

 marked forn)s of African genera. There are, however, several 

 genera (marked by italics) which have Oriental or ralcTarctio 

 affinities, but not African, viz. — Co^jsyclnis, Hypsijides, HypheriKS, 

 Aledrccnas, and Margaropcrdi.r. These indicate a closer ap- 

 proximation to the ]\lalay countries tlian now exists. 



The table of 33 peculiar genera is of great interest. Most of 

 these are well-marked forms, belonging to families which are 

 fully developed in Africa; though it is singular that not 

 one of the exclusively African families is represented in 

 •any way in Madagascar. Others, however, are of remote or 

 altogether doubtful affinities. Sittidcc is Oriental and raliearctic, 

 but not Ethiopian. O.'i/Iahcs and Mystacornis are of doul)tful 

 affinities. Arfamia and Cyaiwlanius still more so, and it is 

 quite undecided what family they belong to. Calicalicus is 

 almost etpially obscure. Kcodrcpanis, one of the most recent 

 discoveries, seems to connect the Nectariniidie with the Pacific 



