2 



Mr Alfred E. Wallace on some Anoinalies 



principles, ^vliich, if accepted, will enable us to deal with such 

 cases for the future, and avoid the confusion into which the 

 whole question must necessarily fall, if (as has hitherto 

 been the case) every naturalist proposes a distinct set of 

 geographical regions for the group to which he pays most 

 attention. 



The entire subject naturally comes under the two heads 

 of terrestrial and raarine distribution, vdiich may be treated 

 of independently, but upon similar principles. I now con- 

 fine myself entirely to the terrestrial division. The chief 

 fault of the Zoological and Botanical regions that have been 

 hitherto proposed is, that they have generally been too 

 numerous, and have been more or less artificially bounded 

 by lines of latitude and longitude. Those established by 

 Meyen for plants, and by Woodward for shells, have this 

 fault, and were, besides, never intended to apply to the whole 

 organic world. Swainson's division (Geog. and Class, of 

 Animals in Lardners Cab. Cyc), was much more natural, 

 and was, I believe, the first that took into consideration all 

 classes of animals, and can lay any claim to rank as a general 

 system. But by carrying out even here his favourite quinary 

 theory, and by following too closely the supposed typical 

 races of man, he was led into many important errors, — such 

 as including the northern and southern continents of America 

 in one region, and placing Northern Asia with India rather 

 than with Europe. 



In June 1857, a paper was read before the Linnean So- 

 ciety by Dr Sclater, entitled, " On the general Geographical 

 Distribution of the Members of the Class Aves,'' which marks 

 an era in this branch of natural history. The subject was 

 now for the first time treated in a philosophical manner by 

 a naturalist well acquainted with the whole class with which 

 he proposed to deal, and who, by looking chiefiy to groups, 

 — to genera and families rather than to species — and by 

 taking account of broad contrasts rather than local pecu- 

 liarities, has succeeded in marking out upon the globe those 

 divisions, which not only represent accurately the great 

 facts presented by the distribution of birds, but seem also 

 well adapted to become the foundation for a general system 

 of Ontological regions. 



