ALLEN ON GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF MAMMALS. 355 



Genera of the East African Province. 



The Southern Province. — The South African Province consists of onlj^ 

 that small portion of the continent lying south of the Southern Tropic^ 

 and is hence situated wholly within the southern warm-temperate 

 zone. In consequence of its configuration, its limited extension, and 

 its geographical position in relation to Intertropical Africa, it could 

 scarcely be expected to form more than an appendage of the inter- 

 tropical zone, and such it proves really to be. Its area is equal to only 

 about one-tenth of that of the Eastern Province, yet it has eight-ninths 

 as many genera, fully two-thirds of which are common to the two. It 

 hence presents to only a limited degree the features of a strictly tem- 

 perate fauna, and these become prominent only over the narrow belt of 

 country south of the mountain ranges forming the northern boundary 

 of Cape Colony and Caftraria; but here even there is a strong invasion 

 of essentially tropical forms. 



In general /acies it differs little zoologically from the Eastern Province, 

 of which it is merely a somewhat modified continuation. From its 

 semi- temperate character it is less rich in Quadrumanes, but many 

 other properly tropical types range nearly or quite to its southern bor- 



