RECORDS OF HEETJNGS , 287 



Herbert Lang, Faunal Eelations or Central Africa. 

 James P. Chapin, Distribution and Migrations of Central Afri- 

 can Birds. 



Summary of Papers 



Mr. Lang stated that the mammalian f amia of the tropical rain forests 

 of the Congo and Amazon basins were contrasted. The more arboreal 

 adaptation of the latter fauna and the relative lack of larger terrestrial 

 mammals seem to suggest more inundated conditions in the Brazilian 

 forests. The ranges of gorilla and chimpanzee were discussed. The 

 ranges of Ehinocerotidse, Giraffida?, Tragulidge and Manidse in Africa 

 were compared with their occurrence in the Oriental region. The con- 

 nection of the African continent with Eurasia in Miocene times and the 

 origin and center of dispersal of these forms from somewhere in central 

 Asia was demonstrated by the Giraffidge on a map indicating the region 

 from which paleontological evidence is available. As a conclusion it 

 was stated that the ranges of practically all these groups of Ethiopian 

 mammals are chiefly dependent on the vegetation, though distinct spe- 

 cific forms may develop everywhere under suitable conditions. Moun- 

 tains as a whole exercise very little effect, as they are too isolated in posi- 

 tion to form effective barriers. The relative uniformity of the tropical 

 and subtropical climate, as well as the satisfactory physiographic condi- 

 tions in this region, are considered as extremely favorable for the dis- 

 persal of terrestrial Mammalia. The great West African forest, however, 

 is an obstacle for many forms; consequently those avoiding it are found 

 only to the northeast and south. Those species formerly believed peculiar 

 to the South African subregion have now been recorded not only as far 

 north as Abyssinia, but even to the northwest in Senegambia, where 

 later Orycteropus and Taurotragus have been recorded. The intimate 

 relationship of the fauna and flora was illustrated by a series of typical 

 landscapes from East and West Africa. The forms peculiar to the Ethi- 

 opian region and its subregion were reviewed and shown to be especially 

 characteristic. 



Mr. Chapin stated that the mountains of Africa have comparatively 

 little influence on the distribution of birds over the c'ontinent as a, whole. 

 Of far greater importance is the vegetation, and we may say that the two 

 greatest barriers are the Desert of Sahara and the rain forest stretching 

 from the West Coast to Uganda. Different kinds of birds have marked 

 preference for certain plant formations; to the true forest birds the 

 savannas and plains are a barrier, while the equatorial forest shuts off 



