218 
Oisr THE aEOGEAPHICAL 
speaking of the two Indian peninsulas, which it is con- 
venient to approach from Malayan Asia, I must say a 
few words on the islands composing the empire of Ja- 
pan, which approximate in their productions to the tem- 
perate regions of Asia and to Europe ; while their south- 
ern parts ' exhibit an identity with intertropical Asia. The 
study of the animals of Japan offers the most beautiful 
results for the justification of my method of investiga- 
tion ; namely, the grouping together the animals which 
being modelled on the same type, are the mutual repre- 
sentatives of each other in the different countries of the 
globe ; and comprehending them under the same specific 
name, admitting, as sub-divisions, the local varieties, or 
those due to climate. The results wdiich we obtain by 
means of this mode of study, will serve at the same time 
to destroy the prejudice, that allied species are so rigor- 
ously separated from each other, that we can establish 
perfectly distinctive characters for each. Several Mammals 
of Japan^^ are not distinguishable from those of Europe : 
there exists in that empire a badger, absolutely the same 
as ours, but with darker tints, and a less powerful form ; 
the Mole of Japan differs from that of Europe by a 
colour somewhat lighter ; the Pine-Martins of that country 
have the spot under the throat more yellow than in ours ; 
the Fox and the Otter are entirely similar to ours ; the 
Squirrel approaches to that variety of squirrel living on 
lofty mountains of Europe. Other mammifera of that 
country differ from those of Europe ; thus, in the Island 
of Jezo is found a large Bear, probably allied to the 
Grizzly Bear of the Bocky Mountains ; while in the other 
isles of that empire are found the Bear of Thibet ; an Ape 
(Innuus speciosus) ; a new and very curious Dog (Canis 
viverrinus) ; two species of Flying Squirrel (Pteromys), 
one of which is very large ; a Chamois analogous to the 
Antilope Sumatrensis, and A. montana of the Rocky 
* The numerous researches made in Japan by M. Von Siebold, and 
more lately by Mr Burger, have put us in possession of most of the 
productions of that empire : having a great number of specimens of 
each species before my eyes, we may be sure of the facts which are ad- 
vanced in the following pages. 
