CHAP. XI.] 
THE ETHIOPIAN KEG ION. 
281 
peculiar species of Pmtincola , llypsipetes , Phedina , Tchitrea, 
Zost crops, Foudia, Collocalia, and Coracopsis ; while Mauritius lias 
a very peculiar form of dove of tlie sub-genus Trocaza ; an Alec- 
trcenas, extinct within the last thirty years ; and a species of the 
Oriental genus of parroquets, Palccornis. The small and remote 
island of Rodriguez has another Palasornis , as well as a peculiar 
Foudia , and a Drymceca of apparently Indian affinity. 
Coming to the Seychelle Islands, far to the north, we find the 
only mammal an Indian species of bat ( Pteropus edivardsii). Of 
the twelve land-birds all but one are peculiar species, but all belong 
to genera found also in Madagascar, except one — a peculiar species 
of Palceo'niis. This is an Oriental genus, but found also in several 
Mascarene Islands and on the African continent. A species of 
black parrot ( Coracopsis barliayi) and a weaver bird of peculiar 
type ( Foudia seychcllamm ) show, however, a decided connection 
with Madagascar. There are also two peculiar pigeons — a short- 
winged Tartar and an Aleetrcenas. 
Most of the birds of the Comoro Islands are Madagascar spe- 
cies, only two being African. Five are peculiar, belonging to the 
genera Nectarinia, Zosterops, Dicrurus, Foudia, and Aleetrcenas. 
Reptiles are scarce. There appear to be no snakes in Mauri- 
tius and Bourbon, though some African species are said to be 
found in the Seychelle Islands. Lizards are fairly represented. 
Mauritius has Cryptolleph arus, an Australian genus of Gymno- 
pthalmidie ; Hemidactylus (a wide-spread genus) ; Percpus 
(Oriental and Australian) — both belonging to the Geckotidae. 
Bourbon has Heteropus, a Moluecan and Australian genus of 
Scincidte; Fhelsuma (Geckotkke), and Ckamcleo, both found also 
in Madagascar ; as well as Pyxis, one of the tortoises. The 
Seychelles have Theconyx, a peculiar genus of Geckotidee, and 
Chameleo. Gigantic land-tortoises, which formerly inhabited 
most of the Mascarene Islands, now only survive in Aldabra, a 
small island north of the Seychelles. These will be noticed 
again further on. Amphibia seem only to be recorded from the 
Seychelles, where two genera of tree-frogs of the family Poly- 
pedatidaj are found ; one (Meyalixalvs) peculiar, the other 
{Bappia) found also in Madagascar and Africa. 
