﻿GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 



xxxix 



Dr. Sclater includes Japan within the limits of his Palaearctic Region, and the majority 

 of facts confirm the correctness of this view ; but the Alcedinidce are decidedly Indian ; for 

 Alcedo bengalensis is a truly Indian species, and Halcyon schlegeli and Ceryle lugubris are 

 identical with Himalayan species, excepting that they are a little larger in size. 



2. Ethiopian Region. — Peculiar genera : 1. Corythornis; 2. Ispidina; 3. Myioceyx. Pecu- 

 liar species : 1. Corythornis cyanostigma ; 2. C. galerita ; 3. Ispidina picta ; 4. /. leucogastra ; 



5. /. natalensis; 6. Myioceyx ruficeps; 7. M. lecontei; 8. Alcedo semitorquata ; 9. A. quadrir 

 brachys; 10. Ceryle maxima ; 11. C. sharpei; 12. Halcyon badia; 13. H. erythrogastra ; 14. H. 

 semiccerulea; 15. H. senegaloides; 16. H albiventris ; 17 '. H. orientalis ; 18. if. chelicutensis: 

 19. 77. cyanoleuca; 20. 77. senegalensis; 21. 77. dryas; 22. 77". malimbica. 



Madagascar. — Peculiar species: 1. Ispidina madagascariensis; 2. Corythornis cristata. 



The boundaries assigned by Dr. Sclater to this region are borne out by the distribution of 

 its Kingfishers ; for, besides the three characteristic genera, the species of the genera Halcyon, 

 Alcedo, and Ceryle are quite distinct from the other members of the genus. Thus the 

 Ethiopian Region contains three characteristic groups of Halcyon, one of Alcedo, and one of 

 Ceryle. There are, however, exceptions ; for Halcyon badia and Alcedo quadribrachys are 

 closely allied to Indian species, while the nearest allies to Ceryle maxima, the only charac- 

 teristic African species of the genus, are certainly the slate-coloured species of Ceryle in 

 South America. Again, Ceryle rudis, a common Indian species, is found all over Africa ; but 

 the influx of an Indian element into the Ethiopian region is evident, and corroborative proof 

 is to hand in the fact that the other common Indian species, Alcedo bengalensis and Halcyon 

 chloris, also range into North-eastern Africa, so that it is probable that by this same line of 

 communication Ceryle rudis was introduced. As regards Madagascar, the Kingfishers confirm 

 its affinity to the Ethiopian Re»ion. 



3. Indian Region. — a. Indian and Chinese Asia. Peculiar genera, 0. Peculiar species : 



1. Alcedo grandis; 2. Ceryle guttata; 3. Pelargopsis gurial; 4. P. amauroptera; 5. P. bur- 

 manica. 



b. Indo-Malayan subregion. Peculiar genus: 1. Carcineutes. Peculiar species : 1. Alcedo 

 euryzona ; 2. Pelargopsis leucocephala ; 3. P. fraseri ; 4. P. malaccensis ; 5. Ceyx rufidorsa ; 



6. C.sharpei ; 7. C. dillwynni; 8. Halcyon cyanoventris ; 9. H. concreta; 10. Carcineutes me- 

 lanops; 11. C. pulchellus. 



c. Philippines. Peculiar genera, 0. Peculiar species: 1. Alcyone cyanopectus ; 2. Pelar- 

 gopsis gouldi; 3. Ceyx melanura; 4. C. philippinensis; 5. Halcyon gularis; G. //. lindsayi ; 



7. 77. hombroni. 



The following species are widely distributed, and, although strictly characteristic of the 

 Indian Region, are not confined to one or other of the subregions: 1. Ceyx tridactyla ; 



2. Halcyon pileata. 



Beyond these are to be mentioned the following Kingfishers, which are characteristic of 

 the Indian Region, but yet extend their range beyond its limits : 1. Alcedo bengalensis ; 

 2. A. asiatica; 3. A. beryllina; 4. Halcyon smyrnendis] h. 11. chloris. 



The Kingfishers of the Indian Region will thus be observed to form a distinct and well- 



