318 
GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. 
[PART IV. 
Family 70. — IKBISOItlDAi. (1 Genus, 12 Species.) 
General Distribution. 
Neotropical 
Sub-regions. 
Nearctic 
Sub-regions. 
PaLjEARCTIC 
Sub-regions. 
Ethiopian 
Sub-regions. 
Oriental 
Sub-regions. 
Australian 
Sub-regions. 
1 . 2 . 3 — 

The Irrisors are birds of generally metallic plumage, which 
have often been placed with the Epunachidm and near the Sun- 
birds, or Birds of Paradise, but which are undoubtedly allied to 
the Hoopoes. They are strictly confined to the continent of 
Africa, ranging from Abyssinia to the west coast, and southward 
to the Cape Colony. They have been divided info several sub- 
genera which it is not necessary here to notice (Plate IV. Vol. I. 
p. 261). 
Family 71.—' PODAEGHLE. (3 Genera, 20 Species.) 
General Distribution. 
Neotropical Nearctic 
Sub-regions. Sub-regions. 
Palje arctic Ethiopian 
Sub-regions. Sub-regions. 
Oriental 
Sub-regions. 
Australian 
Sub-regions. 
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 1.2 
The Podargidse, or Frog-mouths, are a family of rather large- 
sized nocturnal insectivorous birds, closely allied to the Goat- 
suckers, but distinguished by their generally thicker bills, and 
especially by hunting for their food on trees or on the ground, 
instead of seizing it on the wing. They abound most in the Austra- 
lian region, but one genus extends over a large part of the Oriental 
region. The following are the genera with their distribution : — • 
Podargus (10 sp.), Australia, Tasmania, and the Papuan 
Islands (Plate XII. Vol. I. p. 441) ; Batrachostomus (6 sp.), the 
Oriental region (excluding Philippine Islands and China) and 
the northern Moluccas ; JEgotheles (4 sp.), Australia, Tasmania, 
and Papuan Islands. 
