Dr. Sclater on the Distribution of the Genus Turdus. 277 
tian forest. First of all, I suspect, the White Ants make a 
nest, then the seeds of the fern are deposited in it and grow, 
and afterwards this Tropic-bird takes possession of it. 
So much for the birds of Savanne. The absence there of two 
species which are elsewhere so common is curious—I mean 
Zosterops borbonica and Munia punctularia ; the first I never 
saw near the sea, the second nowhere at all in the district. I 
have heard of a fine Pigeon, which is said to occur in this part 
of the island, but it seems to be gradually getting scarcer, owing 
to the destruction of the forests, and I was not lucky enough to 
meet with it. I suspect it will turn out to be Alectrocenas niti- 
dissima. 
XXVIII .—Remarks on the Geographical Distribution of the Genus 
Turdus. By Philip Lutley Sclater. 
(Plate VIII.) 
The Thrushes proper, of the genus Turdus as now restricted, 
although hardly to be called cosmopolitan in their range, since 
this particular form is not known to occur in New Guinea, 
Australia, and the greater portion of the Pacific islands, are 
very widely distributed over the earth’s surface. In company 
with a figure of Turdus fulviventris (a fine American species of 
this group, which has lately been described in the ‘ Proceedings* 
of the Zoological Society/ and will be readily recognized by its 
distinct style of coloration), it may not be out of place to offer 
some few remarks on the present state of our knowledge of the 
geographical distribution of the members of this genus. 
Beginning with the P alasarctic f region, which embraces the 
whole northern part of the Old World, the species of Thrush 
inhabiting its western portion are six in number—the well- 
known Turdi torquatus , merula , viscivoi'us, pilaris , musicus , and 
iliacus . Though Turdus migratorius and one or more of the 
group of little Thrushes allied to T. wilsoni of the United States 
have occurred accidentally in Europe, they cannot be con¬ 
sidered to have any real claims to a place in its Avifauna. 
* See P.Z.S. 1857, p. 273, et 1859, p. 331. 
t Cf. Journ. Proc. Linn. Soc., Zool., ii. p. 130 et seq. 
ft 
