298 
GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY, 
[PART IV. 
between the Oriental and Australian divisions of which they are 
pretty equally divided. They seem, however, to attain their 
maximum of beauty and variety in the large islands of Borneo 
and Sumatra ; from whence they diminish in numbers in 
every direction till we find single species only in North 
China, West Africa, and Australia. The genera here adopted 
are the following : — 
(1037 loss logo 1092 io93) pitta (33 sp.), has the range of the 
family ; ( 1089 ) Hydrornis (3 sp.), Himalayas and Malaya ; 
Eucichla (3 sp.), Malaya ; Mdampitta (1 sp.), recently discovered 
in New Guinea. 
Family 48.— PAICTIDJE. (1 Genus, 2 Species.) 
General Distribution. 
N EOTUOPICAL 
Sub-regions. 
Ne ARCTIC 
Sub-regions. 
Falasarctic 
Sub- regions. 
Ethiopian 
Sub-regions. 
Oriental 
Sub-regions. 
Australian 
SUB-REUIONS. 
j 
This family was established by Professor Sundevall, for an 
anomalous bird of Madagascar, which he believes to have 
some affinity for the American Formicariidse, but which perhaps 
comes best near the Pittas. The only genus is Pkilepitta, con- 
taining two species. 
Family 49. — MENTJRIDAL (1 Genus, 2 Species.) 
General Distribution. 
N EOTROPICAL 
Sub-regions. 
Nearctic 
Sub-regions. 
FALuE ARCTIC 
Sub-regions. 
Ethiopian 
Sub-regions. 
Oriental 
Sub-regions. 
Australian 
Sub-regions, 
1 
- 2 
The Menuridse, or Lyre Birds, remarkable for the extreme 
elegance of the lyre-shaped tail in the species first discovered, 
are birds of a very anomalous structure, and have no near affinity 
to any other family. Two species of Menura are known, con- 
fined to South and East Australia (Plate XII. Yol. I. p. 44 lb 
