178 QENEBAL PRINGIPLES OF ZOOLOGY. 



north. Hence many unite the palasarctic and nearctic provinces 

 into a ' holarctic ' province. 



(3) Tlie nearctic region has peculiar to it three mammalian 

 families, the prong-horned antelope, the opossums, and the 

 Ilaplodontaj ; of the group of Amphibia, the Sirenidas and Amjjlii- 

 iimidffi. The Nearctic is to be distinguished from the nearest 

 related palasarctio region through the crowding in of neotropical 

 forms like the raccoon, opossum, humming-birds, etc. 



(4) The pa]a3arctic region covers the greatest area and conse- 

 quently abuts upon many other provinces. Hence there exist on 

 the one side important differences between the various local 

 faunas, which are conditioned by climate and great distances, but 

 on the other it explains the fact that the jialaearctic region has no 

 peculiar families. The families which here have reached a great 

 development are the deer, cattle, sheep, and camels; especially 

 conspicuous genera are the chamois, squirrel, badger, and marmot. 



(5) The Ethiopian region has many animals found only there; 

 among these the hippopotamus and giraffe, the aardvark, and, if 

 Tve include Madagascar, the lemurs are most characteristic. To 

 these are added a rich development of antelopes and zebras and 

 the gorilla and chimpanzee. Equally noteworthy is the entire 

 absence of striking families and genera, such as the bears, moles, 

 deer, goats, tapirs, sheep, the true cattle and swine, provided they 

 have not been domesticated and introduced. 



Within the region the island of Madagascar occujDies a remark- 

 able position. This island is the land of lemurs and Insectivora; 

 no land is so rich in lemurs, as the majority of the genera live 

 exclusively in Madagascar. On the other hand the large beasts 

 of prey, the cats, hyenas, dogs, and the bears (which, however, do 

 occur in Africa), all the true ajjes, antelopes, elejiliants, and the 

 various species of rhinoceros are absent. Consequently, since 

 Madagascar is distinguished quite conspicuously from Africa, many 

 zoologists separate the island from the Ethiopian region; many 

 even give it the rank of an independent province. 



(G) The oriental region contains, next to Madagascar, the most 

 lemurs; among which the Tarsidai and Galeopithecida? (the latter 

 often considered an insectivore) are exclusively oriental. Remark- 

 able inhabitants of the province are the gibbons and orang-utans, 

 the musk-deer, numerous families and genera of birds. 



Arctic and Antarctic Provinces. — Of late the view has gained 

 ground that, besides these six, two other, eircumjiolar, provinces 

 must lie distinguished, the arctic and tiie antarctic. Both have a 



