CHAP. XXXIX.] OF THE PAPUAN ISLANDS. 431 



The naturalist will obtain a clearer idea of tlie variety 

 and interest of the productions of this country, by the 

 statement, that its land birds belong to 108 genera, of 

 which 29 are exclusively characteristic of it ; while 35 

 belong to that limited area which includes the Moluccas 

 and North Australia, and whose species of these genera 

 have been entirely derived from New Guinea. About 

 one-half of the New Guinea genera are found also in 

 Australia, about one-third in India and the Indo-Malay 

 islands. 



A very curious fact, not hitherto sufficiently noticed, is 

 the appearance of a pure Malay element in the birds of New 

 Guinea. We find two species of Eupetes, a curious Malayan 

 genus allied to the forked-tail water-chats ; two of Alcippe, 

 an Indian and Malay wren-like form; an Arachnothera, 

 <[uite resembling the spider-catching honeysuckers of Ma- 

 lacca ; two species of Gracula, the Mynahs of India ; and 

 a curious little black Prionochilus, a saw-biUed fruit- 

 pecker, undoubtedly allied to the Malayan form, although 

 perhaps a distinct genus. Now not one of these birds, or 

 anything allied to them, occurs in the Moluccas, or (with 

 one exception) in Celebes or Australia; and as they are 

 most of them birds of short flight, it is very difficult to 

 conceive how or when they could have crossed the space 

 of more than a thousand miles, which now separates them 

 from their nearest allies. Such facts point to changes 



