254 
ZOOLOGICAL GEOGRAPHY. 
[part hi. 
It is, however, sufficiently rich, possessing 54 families of land 
birds, besides a few genera who3e position is not well ascertained, 
and which may constitute distinct families. Of these 6 are 
peculiar, Musophagidae (the plantain eaters) ; Coliidae (the colies) ; 
Leptosomidae, allied to the cuckoos ; Irrisoridae, allied to the 
hoopoes; and Serpentaridae, allied to the hawks. Only one 
Passerine family is peculiar — Paictidae, while most of the other 
tropical regions possess several; but Euryceros and Buphaga, 
here classed with the Sturnidae, ought, perhaps, to form two 
more. It has, however, many peculiar genera, especially among the 
fruit-thrushes, Pycnonotidae ; flycatchers, Muscicapidae ; shrikes, 
Lanidae ; crows, Corvidae ; starlings, Sturnidae ; and weaver-birds, 
Ploceidae; the latter family being very characteristic of the region. 
It is also rich in barbets, Megalaemidae (7 peculiar genera); 
cuckoos, Cuculidae; rollers, Coraciidae; bee-eaters, Meropidse; 
liornbills, Bucerotidae; and goat-suckers, Caprimulgidae. It is 
poor in parrots and rather so in pigeons ; but it abounds in 
Pterocles and Francolinus, genera of Gallinae, and possesses 4 
genera of the peculiar group of the guinea-fowls, forming part of 
the pheasant family. It abounds in vultures, eagles, and other 
birds of prey, among which is the anomalous genus Serpentarius, 
the secretary-bird, constituting a distinct family. Many of the 
most remarkable forms are confined to Madagascar and the 
adjacent islands, and will be noticed in our account of that sub- 
region. 
Reptiles . — Of the reptiles there are 4 peculiar Ethiopian 
families ; — 3 of snakes, Rachiodontidse, Dendraspidse, and Atrac- 
taspidae and 1 of lizards, Chamaesauridae. 
PsammophidcC (desert snakes) are abundant, as are Lycodontidse 
(fanged ground-snakes), and Viperkke (vipers). The following 
genera of snakes are peculiar or highly characteristic : — Lepto- 
rhyncJms, Rhamnophis, Herpetethiops and Grayia (Colubridae) ; 
llopsidrophis and Bucephalus (Dendropliidae) ; Lang alia (Dryo- 
phidae) ; Pythonodipsas (Dipsadidce) ; Boedon , Lycophidion, Holu- 
vopholiSy Simocephalus and Lamprop>his (Lycodontidae) ; Hortulia 
and Sanzinia (Pythonidae) ; Cyrptophis, Elapsoidea and Pcecilo- 
phis (Elapidae) ; and Athcris (Viperidae). The following genera 
