GEOGEAPHICAI EBLATIONS Or BIEDS. 245 



■which is, however, also found in Siam. More than thirty-six 

 genera are peculiar to this subregion. 



The Neabctic Eegion is one which is very poor in altogether 

 peculiar genera. On the one hand there is an entanglement 

 southwards with the Neotropical avifauna, while on the other 

 there is a great sameness between the Birds of North America, 

 Europe, and Siberia. There is, in fact, a considerable common 

 circumpolar avifauna. Out of three hundred and thirty 

 Nearctic genera, more than one third are common to it and the 

 Palasaretic region. 



One of the most popularly known and truly peculiar of 

 American birds is the Turkey, and everyone has heard of the 

 Canvas-back- Duck, the Mocking-bird, and the Passenger Pigeon 

 — which are, in summer, mostly confined to the Nearctic portion 

 of the American continent. Those beautiful and exclusively 

 American forms — the Humming-birds — make their appearance 

 even in the northern part of the JSTearctic region, although, of 

 course, they become more numerous southwards. The most 

 characteristic family of the Nearctic region is that named Mni- 

 otiltidce, which contains brilliant little Warblers, which take the 

 place of the Old- World Sylviidm. 



Altogether there are about twenty-four genera of birds abso- 

 lutely peculiar to the Nearctic region, and besides these there 

 are twenty-seven genera which have their home in it but migrate 

 in winter to the Neotropical region, the relation of the avifaunas 

 of these two regions being in Central Aiaerica in the winter, 

 like those before mentioned as existing between the Palaearctic 

 and Ethiopian faunas in the same season. 



As to the appearance of different kinds in different provinces 

 of this region, it may be remarked as follows : — 



A peculiar Wren-like bird, Chamma, held to constitute a sub- 

 family by itself, is peculiar to California, as is also the Crested 

 Partridge {Oreortyx picta) and the great Californian Vulture — 

 except that the latter ranges somewhat more northwards. 



In the Alleghanian province we find the only North- American 

 Parrot (Gonurus earoUnensis) and the Mocking-bird, while it is 

 the main home of the Passenger Pigeon. Turkeys in the Palae- 

 arctic region are only found eastwards of the Rocky Mountains, 

 and are now extinct in the settled districts of Pennsylvania, 

 New England, and Canada. Flamingoes are found in Florida, 

 where also a Pelican may be met with, and another in California, 

 and a Darter, in summer, ascends to North Carolina and Illinois. 



