312 
GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. 
[part IV. 
region except Indo-Malaya, the Palmarctic to the above- 
named limits, and the island of Celebes on the ' confines 
of the Australian region ; Eurystomus (8 sp.), West and 
East Africa and Madagascar, the whole Oriental region except 
the Peninsula of India, and the Australian as far as Australia 
and the Solomon Islands; Brachypteracias (possibly allied 
to Leptosoraus f) (4 sp.), Madagascar only, but these abnormal 
birds form a distinct sub-family, and according to Mr. Sharpe, 
three genera, Brachypteracias , Atelornis , and Geobiastes. 
A most remarkable feature in the distribution of this family 
is the occurrence of a true roller ( Goracias temminckii ) in the 
island of Celebes, entirely cut off from the rest of the genus, 
which does not occur again till we reach Siam and Burmah. 
The curious Pseudochelidon from West Africa may perhaps 
belong to this family or to the Cypselidse. (Ibis. 1861, p. 321.) 
Family 63. — MEROPIDiE. (5 Genera, 34 Species.) 
General Distribution. 
Neotropical 
Sub-regions. 
N EAROTIC 
Sub-reghons. 
PALjE ARCTIC 
Sub-regions. 
s 
Ethiopian 
Sub-regions. 
Oriental 
Sub- regions. 
Australian 
Sub-regions. 
— 
— 
1.2 
1.2. 3. 4 
1 .2 .3.4 
m 
to 
1 
1 
The Meropidae, or Bee-eaters, have nearly the same distribution 
as the Rollers, but they do not penetrate quite so far either into 
the Eastern Palaearctic or the Australian regions. The distribu- 
tion of the genera is as follows : — 
Merops (21 sp.), has the range of the family extending on the 
north to South Scandinavia, and east to Australia and New 
Guinea ; Nyctiornis (3 sp.), the Oriental region, except Ceylon 
and Java ; Meropogon (1 sp.), Celebes ; Meropiscus (3 sp.), West 
Africa; Melittophagus (6 sp.), Ethiopian region, except Madagascar. 
