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GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 



It will be seen that in the foregoing pages I have mainly followed Dr. Sclater's scheme of 

 geographical distribution, with Mr. Wallace's subdivisions of the Indian and Australian 

 Regions. It may, therefore, be interesting to compare the results obtained from a careful 

 study of the geographical distribution of the Alcedinidce, and to see how the facts coincide 

 with the above-mentioned scheme, and I will place these results before my readers as con- 

 cisely as possible. 



Dividing the surface of the globe, therefore, into the two divisions, Neogcea (New World) 

 and Palceogcca (Old World), we find that the former possesses no genus peculiar to itself, 

 and only eight species. These latter, it is true, are distinct enough in themselves ; but they 

 all belong generically to Ceryle, a widespread form of Kingfisher in the Old World. Thus 

 the Kingfishers of the earth may be summarized: — 



Neogcea. Peculiar genera, ; peculiar species, 8. 



Pal.eog.ea. Peculiar genera, 18; peculiar species, 117. 



Genera common to both divisions, 1, viz. Ceryle. 



Species common to both divisions, 0*. 



In Neogala we find that the genus Ceryle is thus distributed : — 

 Nearctic Region. Peculiar species, one, viz. Ceryle alcyon. 



Neotropical Kegion. Peculiar species, six, viz. Ceryle torquata, C. stellata, C. amazonia, 

 C. americana, C. inda, C. super ciliosa. 



Ceryle alcyon, in winter, ranges into Central America, while C. cabanisi, though having its 

 maximum range in South America, ranges as far north as Texas, and therefore may be said 

 to be common to both regions. 



In Palaeogaea the distribution of Kingfishers will be found to be as follows : — 



Palaearctic Region. Peculiar genera, ; peculiar species, 2. 



Ethiopian Region. Peculiar genera, 3 ; peculiar species, 24. 



Indian Kegion. Peculiar genus, 1 ; peculiar species, 25. 



Australian Kegion. Peculiar genera, 10 ; peculiar species, 59. 



The genera not included in the above list are — 



1. Alcedo. Common to the Palaearctic, Ethiopian, and Indian Kegions, but entering the 

 limits of the Australian. 



2. Ceryle. Common to the Palaearctic, Indian, and Ethiopian Regions, but entirely 

 absent in the Australian. 



3. Pclargopsis. An Indian genus, but having two species peculiar to the Australian 

 region. 



4. Ceyx. Found equally in the Indian Region and the Austro-Malayan subregion. 



5. Halcyon. Spread over the whole of the Old World, excepting the Palaearctic Region, 

 into the limits of which it intrudes only on the south-west and north-east. 



The Alcedinine peculiarities of each respective region may be analyzed as follows : — 

 1. Palaearctic Region. — No peculiar genera. Peculiar species : 1. Alcedo ispida; 2. Ceryle 

 Ivgubris. 



• Ceryle alcyon has once occurred in Europe, but cannot be said to be common to both the Old and New Worlds. 



