FAUNA OP CENTRAL ASIA. 71 



lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus). The reptilian-fauna, as has 

 already been remarked, when treating of the Eurasiatic region 

 generally, is very limited. Among the poisonous serpents are the 

 Pelias benis and the sand-viper (Vipera ammodytes), the range of 

 the latter extending from the Mediterranean into Sweden. 



3. The Central Asian Sui-Begion comprises that portion of the 

 Holarctic tract which lies south of the Arctic sub-region, and is 

 included between the European sub-region on the west and China 

 proper and Manchuria on the east. A steppe character prevails 

 in the western portion of this region, to which desert features are 

 also added, and hence we find a distinct individuality imparted to 

 its fauna. The rodents, whose most distinctive forms are the 

 spermophiles and jumping-mice (Dipus, Scirtetes), are more ex- 

 tensively developed than in the European tract ; on the other hand, 

 the larger Carnivora are almost completely wanting, although the 

 tiger seems to occasionally reach the region about the Caspian and 

 Aral seas. The deer are replaced by one or more forms of ante- 

 lope (Saiga), which, with the exception of the camel and some wild 

 equine representatives, are almost the sole hoofed animals of the 

 region. A distinctive faunal feature is constituted by the seals of 

 the Caspian (Phoca Caspica), which appear to be very closely related 

 to the common Phoca vitulina of the North Atlantic. Among the 

 birds may be mentioned the steppe partridges (Pterocles, Syr- 

 rhaptes), and, as an occasional visitor, not improbably also the 

 ostrich. Reptiles are fairly abundant, and include among the 

 lizards the agamid genus Stellio, and among serpents the sand- 

 snake (Psammophis) and the poisonous Trigonocephalus. 



In the eastern half of the Central Asian sub-region, plateau and 

 desert features largely predominate, and the fauna acquires some- 

 what distinctive characters. The ungulate and carnivore types of 

 Mammalia are more abundantly represented, the former comprising, 

 in addition to the camel (Camelus Bactrianus), whose range ex- 

 tends to the shores of Lake Baikal, and two or more species of 

 antelope, the dziggetai or kiang (Equus hemionus) of the plains of 

 Thibet, the recently-discovered species of wild horse described by 

 M. Poliakoff as Equus Przevalskii, the Thibetan yak, several wild 

 goats, and the argali (Ovis argali), the last recalling the big-horn 

 of the Rocky Mountains. The tiger and ounce (Felis uncia) both 

 range across the region into Siberia, sharing the habitat of the 



