4:J8 ZOULUGICAL GEOGRAPHY. [i'Aut in. 



the Himalayas had risen to any great height, and when a large 

 part of what are now the cold plateaus of Central Asia may 

 have teemed witli life, some forms of which are preserved in 

 Africa, some in Malaya, and a few in Celebes. Here may 

 have lived the common ancestor of Sus, Bahirusa, and Phaco- 

 chKrus ; as well as of Cipiopitheais, Cynoceplialus, and Macacus ; 

 of Ajioa and Bahnl lift; oi Scissirostrum -Awd Eur ijceros ; of Ccyx, 

 Ccj/cojysis, and Isjyidina. Such an origin accounts, too, for the 

 presence of the North-Indian forms in Celebes ; and it offers less 

 diiticnltics than a direct connection with continental Africa, wliich 

 once appeared to be the only solution of the problem. If this 

 south-eastward extension of Asia occurred at the same time as 

 the north-eastward extension of South Africa and Madagascar, 

 the two early continents may have apju'oached each other suffi- 

 ciently to have allowed of some interchange of forms : Tarsius 

 may be the descendant of some Lemurine animal that then 

 entered the Malayan area, while the progenitors of Crypioj^rocia 

 may then have passed from Asia to ^Madagascar. 



It is true that we here reach the extremest limits of specula- 

 tion ; but when we have before us such singular phenomena as 

 are presented by the fauna of the island of Celebes, we can hardly 

 help endeavouring to picture to our imaginations by what past 

 changes of land and sea (in themselves not improbaljle) the actual 

 condition of things may have been lu'ought about. 



//. Australia and Tasmania, or the Austi'alian Suh-region. 

 A general sketcli of Australian zoology having been given in the 

 earlier part of this chapter, it will not Ije necessary to occupy much 

 time on this sub-region, which is as remarkal)ly homogeneous as 

 the one we have just left is heterogeneous. Although nnich of 

 the northern part of Australia is within the tropics, while Vic- 

 toria and Tasmania are situated from 36° to 43° south latitude, 

 there is no striking change in the character of the fauna 

 throughout the continent ; a number of important genera extend- 

 ing over the whole country, and giving a very uniform character 

 to its zoology. The eastern parts, including the colonies of New 

 South Wales and Queensland, are undoubtedly the richest, several 



