CHAP. XI.] 
THE ETHIOPIAN REGION. 
271 
2 genera, Notioxenus and Homceodera y which are altogether 
peculiar and isolated, and contain 9 species. Thus no less than 
27 species, or more than half of the undoubtedly indigenous 
beetles, belong to 5 peculiar and very remarkable genera of 
Khyncophora. 
It appears from this enumeration, that the peculiar species as 
a whole, exhibit most affinity to the Ethiopian fauna ; next to 
the South European fauna ; and lastly to that of the islands of 
the North Atlantic ; while there is such a large amount of pecu- 
liarity in the most characteristic forms, that no special geogra- 
phical affinity can be pointed out. 
Land Shells. — These consist of about a dozen living species, and 
about as many extinct found in the surface soil, and probably 
exterminated by the destruction of the forests. The genera are 
Succinea , Zonites, Helix , Bulimus, Pupa , and Achatina. The 
Bulimi (all now extinct but one) comprise one large, and 
several small species, of a peculiar type, most resembling forms 
now inhabiting South America and the islands of the Pacific. 
Zonites is chiefly South European, but the other genera are of 
wide range, and none are peculiar to the island. 
The marine shells are mostly Mediterranean, or West Indian 
species, with some found in the Indian Ocean ; only 4 or 5 species 
being peculiar to the island. 
Tristan d’Acunha. — This small island is situated nearly mid- 
way between the Cape of Good Hope and the mouth of the La 
Plata, but it is rather nearer Africa than America, and a little 
nearer still to St. Helena. An island so truly oceanic and of whose 
productions so little is known, cannot be placed in any region, 
and is only noticed here because it comes naturally after St, Helena. 
It is known to possess three peculiar land birds. One is a thrush 
{Nesocichla eremita) whose exact affinities are not determined • 
the other a small water-hen ( Gallinula nesiotis) allied to our 
native species, but with shorter and softer wings, which the bird 
does not use for flight. A finch of the genus Critkagra shows 
African affinities ; while another recently described as Nesospiza 
acunhce (Journ. fur Orn. 1873, p. 154) forms a new genus said to 
resemble more nearly some American forms. 
