316 - ZOOLOGICAL GEOGRAPHY. [part hi. 



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

 and confined to the higli forest-districts of tlie Eastern Hima- 

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

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

 Amon!:;^ Paiminants it has the beautiful chevrotain, forming 

 the genus Tragulus in the family Tragulida^ ; with one peculiar 

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

 pinffi and Caprinte are few, confined to limited districts and not 

 characteristic of the region ; but there are everywhere wild cattle 

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

 and Elcphas, form a prominent feature in the fauna. The Eodents 

 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 Timaliidse, represented by the babblers {Garrulax, Pomator- 

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

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

 fork-tailed Enimrns and rich blue 3fyiopho7ms, though com- 

 paratively scarce, are characteristic of the Malayan and Indo- 

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

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

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

 tidce, the black and crimson " minivets " {Pericrocotus), and the 

 glossy " king-crows " {Dicrurus) ; Urocissa, Platylo2Jlms and Pen- 

 drocitta are some of the interesting and characteristic forms 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



