ZOOLOGICAL REGIONS. 
43 
CHAP. III.] 
Africa possesses a number of completely isolated groups ; such 
are the potamogale, a curious otter-like water-shrew, discovered 
by Du Chaillu in West Africa, so distinct as to constitute a new 
family, Potamogalidse ; the golden moles, also forming a peculiar 
family, Chrysochloridse ; as do the elephant-shrews, Macrosce- 
lididse ; the singular aard-varks, or earth-pigs, forming a peculiar 
family of Edentata, called Oryeteropodidse ; while there are 
numerous peculiar genera of monkeys, swine, civets, and rodents. 
Among birds the most conspicuous and remarkable are, the 
great-billed vulture-crows (Corvultur), the long-tailed why- 
dah finches (Vidua), the curious ox-peckers (Buphaga), the 
splendid metallic starlings (Lamprocolius), the handsome plan- 
tain-eaters (Musophaga), the ground-hornbills (Bucorvus), the 
numerous guinea-fowls belonging to four distinct genera, the 
serpent-eating secretary-bird (Serpentarius), the huge boat- 
billed heron (Balseniceps), and the true ostriches. Besides 
these there are three quite peculiar African families, the 
Musophagidse, or plantain-eaters, including the elegant crested 
touracos ; the curious little finch-like colies (Coliidse), and the 
Irrisoridse, insect-eating birds allied to the hoopoes, but with 
glossy metallic plumage, and arboreal habits. 
In reptiles, fishes, insects, and land-shells, Africa is very rich, 
and possesses an immense number of peculiar forms. These are 
not sufficiently known to require notice in a work of this cha- 
racter, but we may mention a few as mere illustrations ; the 
puff-adders, the most hideous of poisonous snakes ; the chame- 
leons, the most remarkable of lizards ; the goliath-beetles, the 
largest and handsomest of the Cetoniidse ; and some of the 
Achatinse, which are the largest of all known land-shells. 
Definition and Characteristic Croups of the Oriental Region. 
— The Oriental region comprises all Asia south of the Palae- 
arctic limits, and along with this the Malay Islands as far as 
the Philippines, Borneo, and Java. It was called the Indian 
region by Mr. Sclater, but this term has been objected to 
because the Indo-Chinese and Malayan districts are the rich- 
est and most characteristic, while the peninsula of India is 
the poorest portion of it. The name “ Oriental ” has therefore 
been adopted in my work on The Geographical Distribution of 
