CHAr. III.J 



ZOOLOGICAL REGIONS. 



43 



Africa possesses a number of completely isolated groups ; such 

 are the potamogale, a curious otter-like water-shrew, discovered 

 by Du Chaillu in West Africa, so distinct as to constitute a new 

 family, Potamogalidse ; the golden moles, also forming a peculiar 

 family, Chrysochloridse ; as do the elephant-shrews, Macrosce- 

 lididse ; the singular aard-varks, or earth-pigs, forming a peculiar 

 family of Edentata, called Orycteropodidse ; - y^hile there are 

 numerous peculiar genera of monkeys, swine, civets, and rodents. 



Among birds the most conspicuous and remarkable are, the 

 great-billed vulture-crows (Corvultur), the long-tailed why- 

 dah finches (Vidua), the curious ox-peckers (Buphaga), the 

 splendid metallic starlings (Lamprocolius), the handsome plan- 

 tain-eaters (Musophaga), the ground-hornbills (Bucorvus), the 

 numerous guinea-fowls belonging to four distinct genera, the 

 serpent-eating secretary-bird (Serpentarius), the huge boat- 

 billed heron (Balaeniceps), and the true ostriches. Besides 

 these there are three quite peculiar African families, the 

 Musophagid^e, or plantain-eaters, including the elegant crested 

 touracos ; the curious little finch-like colies (Coliidse), and the 

 Irrisoridse, insect-eating birds allied to the hoopoes, but with 

 glossy metallic plumage, and arboreal habits. 



In reptiles, fishes, insects, and land-shells, Africa is very rich, 

 and possesses an immense number of peculiar forms. These are 

 not sufficiently known to require notice in a work of this cha- 

 racter, but we may mention a few as mere illustrations ; the 

 puff-adders, the most hideous of poisonous snakes ; the chame- 

 leons, the most remarkable of lizards ; the goliath-beetles, the 

 largest and handsomest of the Cetoniidae ; and some of the 

 Achatinse, which are the largest of all known land-shells. 



Definition and Characteristic Groups of the Oriental Region. 

 — The Oriental region comprises all Asia south of the Palse- 

 arctic limits, and along with this the Malay Islands as far as 

 the Philippines, Borneo, and Java. It w^as called the Indian 

 region by Mr. Sclater, but this term has been objected to 

 because the Indo-Chinese and Malayan districts are the rich- 

 est and most characteristic, while the peninsula of India is 

 the poorest portion of it. The name " Oriental " has therefore 

 been adopted in my work on The Geographical Bistrihittion of 



