The Dormice (_Myoxus_), are small rodent_The Geographical Distribution of Animals, Volume 2 With a study of the relations of living and extinct faunas as elucidating the past changes of the Earth's surface

parts of the Palæarctic region, from Britain to Japan; and also over most

parts of Africa to the Cape, but wanting in India. Some of the African

species have been separated under the name of _Graphidurus_, while those of

Europe and Asia form the sub-genera _Glis_, _Muscardinus_, and _Eliomys_.

_Extinct Myoxidæ._--_Myoxus_ ranges from the Post-pliocene of the Maltese

caverns to the Miocene of Switzerland and the Upper Eocene of France; and

an extinct genus _Brachymys_ is found in the Miocene of Central Europe.

{233}FAMILY 59.--SACCOMYIDÆ. (6 Genera, 33 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Saccomyidæ, or pouched rats, are almost wholly confined to our second

Nearctic sub-region, comprising the Rocky Mountains and the elevated plains

of Central North America. A few species range from this district as far as

Hudson's Bay on the north, to South Carolina on the east, and to California

on the west, while one genus, doubtfully placed here, goes south as far as

Honduras and Trinidad. The group must therefore be considered to be

pre-eminently characteristic of the Nearctic region.

The genera are,--_Dipodomys_ (5 sp.), North Mexico, California, the east

slope of the Rocky Mountains to the Columbia River, and one species in

South Carolina; _Perognathus_ (6 sp.), North Mexico, California, east slope

of the Rocky Mountains to British Columbia; _Thomomys_ (2 sp.), Upper

Missouri, and Upper Columbia Rivers to Hudson's Bay; _Geomys_ (5 sp.),

North Mexico, and east slope of Rocky Mountains to Nebraska (Plate XIX.,

vol. ii. p. 129); _Saccomys_ (1 sp.), North America, locality unknown;

_Heteromys_ (6 sp.), Mexico, Honduras, and Trinidad. _Geomys_ and

_Thomomys_ constitute a separate family Geomyidæ, of Professor Carus; but I

follow Professor Lilljeborg, who has made a special study of the Order, in

keeping them with this family.

In the Post-Pliocene deposits of Illinois and Nebraska, remains of an

existing species of _Geomys_ have been found.

{234}FAMILY 60.--CASTORIDÆ. (1 Genus, 2 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Beavers, forming the genus _Castor_, consist of two species, the

American (_Castor canadensis_) ranging over the whole of North America from

Labrador to North Mexico; while the European (_Castor fiber_) appears to be

confined to the temperate regions of Europe and Asia, from France to the

River Amoor, over which extensive region it doubtless roamed in prehistoric

times, although now becoming rare in many districts.

_Extinct Castoridæ._--Extinct species of _Castor_ range back from the

Post-pliocene to the Upper Miocene in Europe, and to the Newer Pliocene in

North America. Extinct genera in Europe are, _Trogontherium_, Post-Pliocene

and Pliocene; _Chalicomys_, Older Pliocene; and _Steneofiber_, Upper

Miocene. In North America _Castoroides_ is Post-Pliocene, and

_Palæocastor_, Upper Miocene. The family thus first appears on the same

geological horizon in both Europe and North America.

FAMILY 61.--SCIURIDÆ.--(8 Genera, 180-200 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Squirrel family, comprehending also the marmots and prairie-dogs, are

very widely spread over the earth. They are especially abundant in the

Nearctic, Palæarctic, and Oriental regions, and rather less frequent in the

Ethiopian and Neotropical, in which last region they do not extend south of

Paraguay. They are absent from the West Indian islands, Madagascar, and

Australia, only occurring in Celebes which doubtfully belongs to the

Australian region. The genera are as follows:--

{235}_Sciurus_ (100-120 sp., including the sub-genera Spermosciurus, Xerus,

Macroxus, Rheithrosciurus, and Rhinosciurus), comprises the true squirrels,

and occupies the area of the whole family wherever woods and forests occur.

The approximate number of species in each region is as follows: Nearctic

18, Palæarctic 6, Ethiopian 18, Oriental 50, Australian (Celebes) 5,

Neotropical 30. _Sciuropterus_ (16-19 sp.), comprises the flat-tailed

flying squirrels, which range from Lapland and Finland to North China and

Japan, and southward through India and Ceylon, to Malacca and Java, with a

species in Formosa; while in North America they occur from Labrador to

British Columbia, and south to Minnesota and Southern California.

_Pteromys_ (12 sp.), comprising the round-tailed flying squirrels, is a

more southern form, being confined to the wooded regions of India from the

Western Himalayas to Java and Borneo, with species in Formosa and Japan.

_Tamias_ (5 sp.), the ground squirrels, are chiefly North American, ranging

from Mexico to Puget's Sound on the west coast, and from Virginia to

Montreal on the Atlantic coast; while one species is found over all

northern Asia. _Spermophilus_ (26 sp.), the pouched marmots, are confined

to the Nearctic and Palæarctic regions; in the former extending from the

Arctic Ocean to Mexico and the west coast, but not passing east of Lake

Michigan and the lower Mississippi; in the latter from Silesia through

South Russia to the Amoor and Kamschatka, most abundant in the desert

plains of Tartary and Mongolia. _Arctomys_ (8 sp.), the marmots, are found

in the northern parts of North America as far down as Virginia and Nebraska

to the Rocky Mountains and British Columbia, but not in California; and

from the Swiss Alps eastward to Lake Baikal and Kamschatka, and south as

far as the Himalayas, above 8,000 feet elevation. _Cynomys_ (2 sp.), the

prairie-dogs, inhabit the plains east of the Rocky Mountains from the Upper

Missouri to the Red River and Rio Grande (Plate XIX., vol. ii. p. 129).

_Anomalurus_ (5 sp.), consists of animals which resemble flying-squirrels,

but differ from all other members of the family in some points of internal

structure. They form a very aberrant portion of the Sciuridæ, and,

according to some naturalists, a distinct family. They inhabit West Africa

and the island of Fernando Po.

{236}_Extinct Sciuridæ._--These are tolerably abundant. The genus Sciurus

appears to be a remarkably ancient form, extinct species being found in the

Miocene, and even in the Upper Eocene formations of Europe. _Spermophilus_

goes back to the Upper Miocene; _Arctomys_ to the Newer Pliocene. Extinct

genera are, _Brachymys_, _Lithomys_ and _Plesiarctomys_, from the European

Miocene, the latter said to be intermediate between marmots and squirrels.

In North America, _Sciurus_, _Tamias_, and _Arctomys_ occur in the

Post-pliocene deposits only. The extinct genera are _Ischyromys_, from the

Upper Miocene of Nebraska; _Paramys_, allied to the marmots, and

_Sciuravus_, near the squirrels, from the Eocene of Wyoming.

Here we have unmistakable evidence that the true squirrels (_Sciurus_) are

an Old World type, which has only recently entered North America; and this

is in accordance with the comparative scarcity of this group in South

America, a country so well adapted to them, and their great abundance in

the Oriental region, which, with the Palæarctic, was probably the country

of their origin and early development. The family, however, has been traced

equally far back in Europe and North America, so that we have as yet no

means of determining where it originated.

FAMILY 62--HAPLOODONTIDÆ.--(1 Genus, 2 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The genus _Haploodon_ or _Aplodontia_, consists of two curious rat-like

animals, inhabiting the west coast of America, from the southern part of

British Columbia to the mountains of California. They seem to have

affinities both with the beavers and marmots, and Professor Lilljeborg

constitutes a separate family to receive them.

{237}FAMILY 63.--CHINCHILLIDÆ. (3 Genera, 6 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Chinchillidæ, including the chinchillas and viscachas, are confined to

the alpine zones of the Andes, from the boundary of Ecuador and Peru to the

southern parts of Chili; and over the Pampas, to the Rio Negro on the

south, and the River Uruguay on the east. _Chinchilla_ (2 sp.), the true

chinchillas, are found in the Andes of Chili and Peru, south of 9° S. lat.,

and from 8,000 to 12,000 feet elevation (Plate XVI. vol. ii. p. 40);

_Lagidium_ (3 sp.), the alpine viscachas, inhabit the loftiest plateaus and

mountains from 11,000 to 16,000 feet, and extend furthest north of any of

the family; while _Lagostomus_ (1 sp.), the viscacha of the Pampas, has the

range above indicated. The family is thus confined within the limits of a

single sub-region.

_Extinct Chinchillidæ._--_Lagostomus_ has been found fossil in the caves of

Brazil, and in the Pliocene deposits of La Plata. The only known extinct

forms of this family are _Amblyrhiza_ and _Loxomylus_, found in

cavern-deposits in the island of Anguilla, of Post-Pliocene age. These are

very interesting, as showing the greater range of this family so recently;

though its absence from North America and Europe indicates that it is a

peculiar development of the Neotropical region.

FAMILY 64.--OCTODONTIDÆ. (8 Genera, 19 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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{238}The Octodontidæ include a number of curious and obscure rat-like

animals, mostly confined to the mountains and open plains of South America,

but having a few stragglers in other parts of the world, as will be seen by

our notes on the genera. The most remarkable point in their distribution

is, that two genera are peculiar to the West Indian islands, while no

species of the family inhabits the northern half of South America. The

distribution of the genera is as follows:--_Habrocomus_ (2 sp.), Chili;

_Capromys_ (3 sp.), two of which inhabit Cuba, the third Jamaica (Plate

XVII. vol. ii. p. 67); _Plagiodontia_ (1 sp.), only known from _Hayti_;

_Spalacopus_, including _Schizodon_ (2 sp.), Chili, and east side of

Southern Andes; _Octodon_ (3 sp.), Peru, Bolivia, and Chili; _Ctenomys_ (6

sp.), the tuco-tuco of the Pampas, the Campos of Brazil to Bolivia and

Tierra del Fuego; _Ctenodactylus_ (1 sp.), Tripoli, North Africa;

_Pectinator_ (1 sp.), East Africa, Abyssinia, 4,000 to 5,000 feet.

_Capromys_ and _Plagiodontia_, the two West Indian genera, were classed

among the Echimyidæ by Mr. Waterhouse, but Professor Lilljeborg removes

them to this family.

_Extinct Octodontidæ._--Species of _Ctenomys_ have been found in the

Pliocene of La Plata, and an extinct genus _Megamys_, said to be allied to

_Capromys_, in the Eocene of the same country. In Europe, _Palæomys_ and

_Archæomys_ from the lower Miocene of Germany and France, are also said to

be allied to _Capromys_.

FAMILY 65.--ECHIMYIDÆ. (10 Genera, 30 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Echimyidæ, or spiny rats, are a family, chiefly South American, of

which the Coypu, a large beaver-like water-rat from Peru and Chili is the

best known. Two of the genera are found in South Africa, but all the rest

inhabit the continent of South America, East of the Andes, none being yet

known north {239}of Panama. The genera are as follows:--_Dactylomys_ (2

sp.), Guiana and Brazil; _Cercomys_ (1 sp.), Central Brazil; _Lasiuromys_

(1 sp.), San Paulo, Brazil; _Petromys_ (1 sp.), South Africa; _Myopotamus_

(1 sp.), the coypu, on the East side of the Andes from Peru to 42° S. lat.,

on the West side from 33° to 48° S. lat.; _Carterodon_ (1 sp.), Minaes

Geraes, Brazil; _Aulacodes_ (1. sp.), West and South Africa; _Mesomys_ (1

sp.), Borba on the Amazon; _Echimys_ (11 sp.), from Guiana and the

Ecuadorian Andes to Paraguay; _Loncheres_ (10 sp.), New Granada to Brazil.

_Fossil and Extinct Echimyidæ._--The genus _Carterodon_ was established on

bones found in the Brazilian caves, and it was several years afterwards

that specimens were obtained showing the animal to be a living species.

Extinct species of _Myopotamus_ and _Loncheres_ have also been found in

these caves, with the extinct genera _Lonchophorus_ and _Phyllomys_.

No remains of this family have been discovered in North America; but in the

Miocene and Upper Eocene deposits of France there are many species of an

extinct genus _Theridomys_, which is said to be allied to this group or to

the next (Cercolabidæ). _Aulacodon_, from the Upper Miocene of Germany, is

allied to the West African _Aulacodes_; and some other remains from the

lower Miocene of Auvergne, are supposed to belong to _Echimys_.

FAMILY 66.--CERCOLABIDÆ. (3 Genera, 13-15 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Cercolabidæ, or arboreal porcupines, are a group of rodents entirely

confined to America, where they range from the northern limit of trees on

the Mackenzie River, to the southern limit of forests in Paraguay. There is

however an intervening district, the Southern United States, from which

they are absent. _Erethizon_ (3 sp.), the Canadian porcupine, is found

throughout {240}Canada and as far south as Northern Pennsylvania, and west

to the Mississippi (Plate XX., vol. ii. p. 135); an allied species

inhabiting the west coast from California to Alaska, and inland to the head

of the Missouri River; while a third is found in the north-western part of

South America; _Cercolabes_ (12 sp.), ranges from Mexico and Guatemala to

Paraguay, on the eastern side of the Andes; _Chætomys_ (1 sp.), North

Brazil.

_Extinct Cercolabidæ._--A large species of _Cercolabes_ has been found in

the Brazilian caves, but none have been discovered in North America or

Europe. We may conclude therefore that this is probably a South American

type, which has thence spread into North America at a comparatively recent

epoch. The peculiar distribution of _Cercolabes_ may be explained by

supposing it to have migrated northwards along the west coast by means of

the wooded slopes of the Rocky Mountains. It could then only reach the

Eastern States by way of the forest region of the great lakes, and then

move southward. This it may be now doing, but it has not yet reached the

Southern States of Eastern North America.

_Family_ 67.--HYSTRICIDÆ. (3 Genera, 12 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The true Porcupines have a very compact and well-marked distribution, over

the whole of the Oriental and Ethiopian regions (except Madagascar), and

the second Palæarctic sub-region. There is some confusion as to their

sub-division into genera, but the following are those most usually

admitted:--_Hystrix_ (5 sp.), South Europe to the Cape of Good Hope, all

India, Ceylon, and South China; _Atherura_ (5 sp.), "brush-tailed

porcupines," inhabit West Africa, India, to Siam, Sumatra, and Borneo;

_Acanthion_ (2 sp.), Nepal and Malacca, to Sumatra, Borneo, and Java.

_Extinct Hystricidæ._--Several extinct species of _Hystrix_ have {241}been

found in the Pliocene and Miocene deposits of Europe, and one in the

Pliocene of Nebraska in North America.

FAMILY 68.--CAVIIDÆ. (6 Genera, 28 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Cavies and Agoutis were placed in distinct families by Mr. Waterhouse,

in which he is followed by Professor Carus, but they have been united by

Professor Lilljeborg, and without pretending to decide which classification

is the more correct I follow the latter, because there is a striking

external resemblance between the two groups, and they have an identical

distribution in the Neotropical region, and with one exception are all

found east of the Andes. _Dasyprocta_ (9 sp.), the agouti, ranges from

Mexico to Paraguay, one species inhabiting the small West Indian islands of

St. Vincent, Lucia, and Grenada; _Cælogenys_ (2 sp.), the paca, is found

from Guatemala to Paraguay, and a second species (somewhat doubtful) in

Eastern Peru; _Hydrochoerus_ (1 sp.), the capybara inhabits the banks of

rivers from Guayana to La Plata; _Cavia_ (9 sp.), the guinea-pigs, Brazil

to the Straits of Magellan, and one species west of the Andes at Yça Peru;

_Kerodon_ (6 sp.), Brazil and Peru to Magellan; _Dolichotis_ (1 sp,), the

Patagonian cavy, from Mendoza to 48° 30' south latitude, on sterile plains.

_Extinct Caviidæ._--_Hydrochoerus_, _Cælogenys_, _Dasyprocta_, and

_Kerodon_, have occurred abundantly in the caves of Brazil, and the

last-named genus in the Pliocene of La Plata. _Hydrochoerus_ has been found

in the Post-Pliocene deposits of South Carolina. _Cavia_ and _Dasyprocta_

are said to have been found in the Miocene of Switzerland and France. No

well-marked extinct genera of this family have been recorded.

If the determination of the above-mentioned fossil species of _Cavia_ and

_Dasyprocta_ are correct, it would show that this now {242}exclusively

South American family is really derived from Europe, where it has long been

extinct.

FAMILY 69.--LAGOMYIDÆ. (1 Genus, 11 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Lagomyidæ, or pikas, are small alpine and desert animals which range

from the south of the Ural Mountains to Cashmere and the Himalayas, at

heights of 11,000 to 14,000 feet, and northward to the Polar regions and

the north-eastern extremity of Siberia. They just enter the eastern

extremity of Europe as far as the Volga, but with this exception, seem

strictly limited to the third Palæarctic sub-region. In America they are

confined to the Rocky Mountains from about 42° to 60° north latitude.

_Extinct Lagomyidæ._--Extinct species of _Lagomys_ have occurred in the

southern parts of Europe, from the Post-Pliocene to the Miocene formations.

_Titanomys_, an extinct genus, is found in the Miocene of France and

Germany.

FAMILY 70.--LEPORIDÆ. (1 Genus, 35-40 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Hares and Rabbits are especially characteristic of the Nearctic and

Palæarctic, but are also thinly scattered over the Ethiopian and Oriental

regions. In the Neotropical region they are very scarce, only one species

being found in South America, in the mountains of Brazil and various parts

of the Andes, while one or two of the North American species extend into

Mexico {243}and Guatemala. In the Nearctic region, they are most abundant

in the central and western parts of the continent, and they extend to the

Arctic Ocean and to Greenland. They are found in every part of the

Palæarctic region, from Ireland to Japan; three species range over all

India to Ceylon, and others occur in Hainan, Formosa, South China, and the

mountains of Pegu; the Ethiopian region has only four or five species,

mostly in the southern extremity and along the East coast. An Indian

species is now wild in some parts of Java, but it has probably been

introduced.

_Extinct Leporidæ._--Species of _Lepus_ occur in the Post-Pliocene and

Newer Pliocene of France; but only in the Post-Pliocene of North America,

and the caves of Brazil.

_General Remarks on the Distribution of the Rodentia._

With the exception of the Australian region and Madagascar, where Muridæ

alone have been found, this order is one of the most universally and evenly

distributed over the entire globe. Of the sixteen families which compose

it, the Palæarctic region has 10; the Ethiopian, Nearctic, and Neotropical,

each 9; and the Oriental only 5. These figures are very curious and

suggestive. We know that the rodentia are exceedingly ancient, since some

of the living genera date back to the Eocene period; and some ancestral

types might thus have reached the remote South American and South African

lands at the time of one of their earliest unions with the northern

continents. In both these countries the rodents diverged into many special

forms, and being small animals easily able to conceal themselves, have

largely survived the introduction of higher Mammalia. In the Palæarctic and

Nearctic regions, their small size and faculty of hibernation may have

enabled them to maintain themselves during those great physical changes

which resulted in the extermination or banishment of so many of the larger

and more highly organised Mammalia, to which, in these regions, they now

bear a somewhat inordinate proportion. The reasons why they are now less

numerous and varied in the Oriental region, may be of two kinds. The

comparatively small area of that region and its {244}uniformity of climate,

would naturally lead to less development of such a group as this, than in

the vastly more extensive and varied and almost equally luxuriant

Palæarctic region of Eocene and Miocene times; while on the other hand the

greater number of the smaller Carnivora in the tropics during the Pliocene

and Post-Pliocene epochs, would be a constant check upon the increase of

these defenceless animals, and no doubt exterminate a number of them.

The Rodents thus offer a striking contrast to the Ungulates; and these two

great orders afford an admirable illustration of the different way in which

physical and organic changes may affect large and small herbivorous

Mammalia; often leading to the extinction of the former, while favouring

the comparative development of the latter.

_Order XI.--EDENTATA._

FAMILY 71.--BRADYPODIDÆ. (3 Genera, 12 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Sloths are a remarkable group of arboreal mammals, strictly confined to

the great forests of the Neotropical region, from Guatemala to Brazil and

Eastern Bolivia. None are found west of the Andes, nor do they appear to

extend into Paraguay, or beyond the Tropic of Capricorn on the east coast.

The genera as defined by Dr. Gray in 1871 are:--_Choloepus_ (2 sp.),

"Sloths with two toes on fore limbs, sexes alike," Costa Rica to Brazil;

_Bradypus_ (2 sp.), "Sloths with three toes on fore limbs, sexes alike,"

Central Brazil, Amazon to Rio de Janeiro; _Arctopithecus_ (8 sp.), "Sloths

with three toes on fore limbs, males with a coloured patch on the back,"

Costa Rica to Brazil and Eastern Bolivia (Plate XIV., vol ii. p. 24).

{245}_Extinct Bradypodidæ._--In the caves of Brazil are found three extinct

genera of Sloths--_Cælodon_, _Sphenodon_, and _Ochotherium_. More distantly

allied, and probably forming distinct families, are _Scelidotherium_ and

_Megatherium_, from the caves of Brazil and the Pliocene deposits of La

Plata and Patagonia.

FAMILY 72.--MANIDIDÆ. (1 Genus, 8 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Manididæ, or scaly ant-eaters, are the only Edentate Mammalia found out

of America, They are spread over the Ethiopian and Oriental regions; in the

former from Sennaar to West Africa and the Cape; in the latter from the

Himalayas to Ceylon, and Eastward to Borneo and Java, as well as to South

China, as far as Amoy, Hainan, and Formosa. They have been sub-divided,

according to differences in the scaly covering, into five groups, _Manis_,

_Phatagin_, _Smutsia_, _Pholidotus_ and _Pangolin_, the three former being

confined to Africa, the last common to Africa and the East, while

_Pholidotus_ seems confined to Java. It is doubtful if these divisions are

more than sub-genera, and as such they are treated here.

No extinct species referable to this family are yet known.

FAMILY 73.--DASYPODIDÆ. (6 Genera, 17 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Dasypodidæ, or armadillos, are a highly characteristic Neotropical

family, ranging from the northern extremity of the region {246}in south

Texas, to 50° south latitude on the plains of Patagonia. The distribution

of the genera is as follows:--_Tatusia_ (5 sp.), has the range of the whole

family from the lower Rio Grande of Texas to Patagonia; _Prionodontes_ (1

sp.), the giant armadillo, Surinam to Paraguay; _Dasypus_ (4 sp.), Brazil

to Bolivia, Chili, and La Plata; _Xenurus_ (3 sp.), Guiana to Paraguay;

_Tolypeutes_ (2 sp.), the three-banded armadillos, Bolivia and La Plata;

_Chlamydophorus_ (2 sp.), near Mendoza in La Plata, and Santa Cruz de la

Sierra in Bolivia.

_Extinct Armadillos._--Many species of _Dasypus_ and _Xenurus_ have been

found in the caves of Brazil, together with many extinct

genera--_Hoplophorus_, _Euryodon_, _Heterodon_, _Pachytherium_, and

_Chlamydotherium_, the latter as large as a rhinoceros. _Eutatus_, allied

to _Tolypeutes_, is from the Pliocene deposits of La Plata.

FAMILY 74.--ORYCTEROPODIDÆ. (1 Genus, 2 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Aard-vark, or Cape ant-eater (_Orycteropus capensis_) is a curious form

of Edentate animal, with the general form of an ant-eater, but with the

bristly skin and long obtuse snout of a pig. A second species inhabits the

interior of North-East Africa and Senegal, that of the latter country

perhaps forming a third species (Plate IV. vol. i. p. 261).

_Extinct Orycteropodidæ._--The genus _Macrotherium_, remains of which occur

in the Miocene deposits of France, Germany, and Greece, is allied to this

group, though perhaps forming a separate family. The same may be said of

the _Ancylotherium_, a huge animal found only in the Miocene deposits of

Greece.

{247}FAMILY 75.--MYRMECOPHAGIDÆ. (3 Genera, 5 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The true ant-eaters are strictly confined to the wooded portions of the

Neotropical region, ranging from Honduras to Paraguay on the East side of

the Andes. The three genera now generally admitted are: _Myrmecophaga_ (1

sp.), the great ant-eater, Northern Brazil to Paraguay; _Tamandua_ (2 sp.),

4-toed ant-eaters, Guatemala, Ecuador to Paraguay (Plate XIV. vol. ii. p.

24); _Cyclothurus_ (2 sp.), 2-toed ant-eaters, Honduras and Costa Rica to

Brazil.

_Extinct Ant-eaters._--The only extinct form of this family seems to be the

_Glossotherium_, found in the caves of Brazil, and the Tertiary deposits of

Uruguay. It is said to be allied to _Myrmecophaga_ and _Manis_.

_General Remarks on the Distribution of the Edentata._

These singular animals are almost confined to South America, where they

constitute an important part of the fauna. In Africa, two family types are

scantily represented, and one of these extends over all the Oriental

region. In Pliocene and Post-Pliocene times the Edentata were wonderfully

developed in South America, many of them being huge animals, rivalling in

bulk, the rhinoceros and hippopotamus. As none of these forms resemble

those of Africa, while the only European fossil Edentata are of African

type, it seems probable that South Africa, like South America, was a centre

of development for this group of mammalia; and it is in the highest degree

probable that, should extensive fluviatile deposits of Pliocene or Miocene

age be discovered in the former country, an extinct fauna, not less strange

and grotesque than that of South America, will be brought to {248}light.

From the fact that so few remains of this order occur in Europe, and those

of one family type, and in Miocene deposits only, it seems a fair

conclusion, that this represents an incursion of an ancient Ethiopian form

into Europe analogous to that which invaded North America from the south

during the Post-Pliocene epoch. The extension of the Manididæ, or scaly

ant-eaters, over tropical Asia may have occurred at the same, or a somewhat

later epoch.

For a summary of the Numerous Edentata of North and South America which

belong to extinct families, see vol. i. p. 147.

_Order XII.--MARSUPIALIA._

FAMILY 76.--DIDELPHYIDÆ. (3 Genera, 22 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Didelphyidæ, or true opossums, range throughout all the wooded

districts of the Neotropical region from the southern boundary of Texas to

the River La Plata, and on the west coast to 42° S. Lat., where a species

of _Didelphys_ was obtained by Professor Cunningham. One species only is

found in the Nearctic region, extending from Florida to the Hudson River,

and west to the Missouri. The species named _Didelphys californica_

inhabits Mexico, and only extends into the southern extremity of

California. The species are most numerous in the great forest region of

Brazil, and they have been recently found to the west of the Andes near

Guayaquil, as well as in Chili. The exact number of species is very

doubtful, owing to the difficulty of determining them from dried skins. All

but two belong to the genus _Didelphys_, which has the range above given

for the family (Plate XIV., vol. ii. p. 24); _Chironectes_ (1 sp.), the

yapock or water opossum, inhabits Guiana and Brazil; _Hyracodon_ (1 sp.),

is a small {249}rat-like animal discovered by Mr. Fraser in Ecuador, and

which may perhaps belong to another family.

_Extinct Didelphyidæ._--No less than seven species of _Didelphys_ have been

found in the caves of Brazil, but none in the older formations. In North

America the living species only, has been found in Post-Pliocene deposits.

In Europe, however, many species of small opossums, now classed as a

distinct genus, _Peratherium_, have been found in various Tertiary deposits

from the Upper Miocene to the Upper Eocene.

We have here a sufficient proof that the American Marsupials have nothing

to do with those of Australia, but were derived from Europe, where their

ancestors lived during a long series of ages.

FAMILY 77.--DASYURIDÆ. (10 Genera, 30 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Dasyuridæ, or native cats, are a group of carnivorous or insectivorous

marsupials, ranging from the size of a wolf to that of a mouse. They are

found all over Australia and Tasmania, as well as in New Guinea and the

adjacent Papuan islands. Several new genera and species have recently been

described by Mr. G. Krefft, of the Sydney Museum, and are included in the

following enumeration. _Phasgogale_ (3 sp.), New Guinea, West, East, and

South Australia; _Antechinomys_ (1 sp.), Interior of South Australia;

_Antechinus_ (12 sp.), Aru Islands, all Australia, and Tasmania;

_Chætocercus_ (1 sp.), South Australia; _Dactylopsila_ (1 sp.), Aru Islands

and North Australia; _Podabrus_ (5 sp.), West, East, and South Australia,

and Tasmania; _Myoictis_ (1 sp.), Aru Islands; _Sarcophilus_ (1 sp.),

Tasmania; _Dasyurus_ (4 sp.), North, East, and South, Australia, and

Tasmania; _Thylacinus_ (1 sp.), Tasmania (Plate XI., vol. i. p. 439).

Extinct species of _Dasyurus_ and _Thylacinus_ have been found in the

Post-Pliocene deposits of Australia.

{250}FAMILY 78.--MYRMECOBIIDÆ. (1 Genus, 1 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The only representative of this family is the _Myrmecobius fasciatus_, or

native ant-eater, a small bushy-tailed squirrel-like animal, found in the

South and West of Australia.

FAMILY 79.--PERAMELIDÆ. (3 Genera, 10 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Peramelidæ, or bandicoots, are small insectivorous Marsupials, having

something of the form of the kangaroos. They range over the whole of

Australia and Tasmania, as well as the Papuan Islands. The genus

_Perameles_ (8 sp.), has the range of the family, one species being found

in New Guinea and the Aru Islands (Plate XI., vol. i. p. 440); _Peragalea_

(1 sp.), inhabits West Australia only; and _Choeropus_ (1 sp.), a beautiful

little animal with something of the appearance of a mouse-deer, is found in

both South, East, and West Australia.

FAMILY 80.--MACROPODIDÆ. (10 Genera, 56 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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{251}The well-known Kangaroos are the most largely developed family of

Marsupials, and they appear to be the form best adapted for the present

conditions of life in Australia, over every part of which they range. One

genus of true terrestrial kangaroos (_Dorcopsis_), inhabits the Papuan

Islands, as do also the curious tree kangaroos (_Dendrolagus_) which,

without much apparent modification of form, are able to climb trees and

feed upon the foliage. The genera, as established by Mr. Waterhouse, are as

follows: _Macropus_ (4 sp.), West, South, and East Australia, and Tasmania

(Plate XII., vol. i. p. 441); _Osphranter_ (5 sp.), all Australia;

_Halmaturus_ (18 sp.), all Australia and Tasmania; _Petrogale_ (7 sp.), all

Australia; _Dendrolagus_ (2 sp.), New Guinea (Plate X., vol. i. p. 414);

_Dorcopsis_ (2 sp.) Aru and Mysol Islands, and New Guinea; _Onychogalea_ (3

sp.), Central Australia; _Lagorchestes_ (5 sp.), North, West, and South

Australia; _Bettongia_ (6 sp.), West, South, and East, Australia, and

Tasmania; _Hypsiprymnus_ (4 sp.), West and East Australia, and Tasmania.

_Extinct Macropodidæ._--Many species of the genera _Macropus_ and

_Hypsiprymnus_ have been found in the cave-deposits and other Post-Tertiary

strata of Australia. Among the extinct genera are _Protemnodon_ and

_Sthenurus_, which are more allied to the tree-kangaroos of New Guinea than

to living Australian species; the gigantic _Diprotodon_, a kangaroo nearly

as large as an elephant; and _Nototherium_, of smaller size.

FAMILY 81.--PHALANGISTIDÆ. (8 Genera, 27 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Phalangistidæ, or phalangers, are one of the most varied and

interesting groups of Marsupials, being modified in a variety of ways for

an arboreal life. We have the clumsy-looking tail-less koala, or native

sloth; the prehensile-tailed opossum-like phalangers; the beautiful flying

oppossums, so closely resembling {252}in form the flying squirrels of North

America and India, but often no larger than a mouse; the beautiful

dormouse-like _Dromiciæ_, one species of which is only 2¼ inches long or

less than the harvest-mouse; and the little _Tarsipes_, a true honey-sucker

with an extensile tongue, and of the size of a mouse. These extreme

modifications and specializations within the range of a single family, are

sufficient to indicate the great antiquity of the Australian fauna; and

they render it almost certain that the region it occupied was once much

more extensive, so as to supply the variety of conditions and the struggle

between competing forms of life, which would be required to develop so many

curiously modified forms, of which we now probably see only a remnant.

The Phalangistidæ not only range over all Australia and Tasmania, but over

the whole of the Austro-Malayan sub-region from New Guinea to the Moluccas

and Celebes. The distribution of the genera is as follows:--_Phascolarctos_

(1 sp.), the koala, East Australia; _Phalangista_ (5 sp.), East, South, and

West Australia, and Tasmania; _Cuscus_ (8 sp.), woolly phalangers, New

Guinea, North Australia, Timor, Moluccas and Celebes; _Petaurista_ (1 sp.)

large flying phalanger, East Australia; _Belideus_ (5 sp.), flying

opossums, South, East, and North Australia, New Guiana and Moluccas;

_Acrobata_ (1 sp.), pigmy flying opossum, South and East Australia;

_Dromicia_ (5 sp.), dormouse-phalangers, West and East Australia, and

Tasmania; _Tarsipes_ (1 sp.), West Australia.

_Thylacoleo_, a large extinct marsupial of doubtful affinities, seems to be

somewhat intermediate between this family and the kangaroos. Professor Owen

considered it to be carnivorous, and able to prey upon the huge

_Diprotodon_, while Professor Flower and Mr. Gerard Krefft, believe that it

was herbivorous.

FAMILY 82.--PHASCOLOMYIDÆ. (1 Genus, 3 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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{253}The Wombats are tail-less, terrestrial, burrowing animals, about the

size of a badger, but feeding on roots and grass. They inhabit South

Australia and Tasmania (Plate XI. vol. i. p. 439).

An extinct wombat, as large as a tapir, has been found in the Australian

Pliocene deposits.

_General Remarks on the Distribution of Marsupialia._

We have here the most remarkable case, of an extensive and highly varied

order being confined to one very limited area on the earth's surface, the

only exception being the opossums in America. It has been already shown

that these are comparatively recent immigrants, which have survived in that

country long after they disappeared in Europe. As, however, no other form

but that of the Didelphyidæ occurs there during the Tertiary period, we

must suppose that it was at a far more remote epoch that the ancestral

forms of all the other Marsupials entered Australia; and the curious little

mammals of the Oolite and Trias, offer valuable indications as to the time

when this really took place.

A notice of these extinct marsupials of the secondary period will be found

at vol. i. p. 159.

_Order XIII.--MONOTREMATA._

FAMILY 83.--ORNITHORHYNCHIDÆ. (1 Genus, 1 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The _Ornithorhynchus_, or duck-billed Platypus, one of the most remarkable

and isolated of existing mammalia, is found in East and South Australia,

and Tasmania.

{254}FAMILY 84.--ECHIDNIDÆ. (1 Genus, 2 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The _Echidna_, or Australian Hedgehog, although quite as remarkable in

internal structure as the Ornithorhynchus, is not so peculiar in external

appearance, having very much the aspect of a hedgehog or spiny armadillo.

The two species of this genus are very closely allied; one inhabits East

and South Australia, the other Tasmania.

_Extinct Echidnidæ._--Remains of a very large fossil species of _Echidna_

have lately (1868) been discovered at Darling Downs in Australia.

_Remark on the Distribution of the Monotremata._

This order is the lowest and most anomalous of the mammalia, and nothing

resembling it has been found among the very numerous extinct animals

discovered in any other part of the world than Australia.

{255}CHAPTER XVIII.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE FAMILIES AND GENERA OF BIRDS.

_Order I.--PASSERES._

FAMILY 1.--TURDIDÆ. (21 Genera, 205 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The extensive and familiar group of Thrushes ranges over every region and

sub-region, except New Zealand. It abounds most in the North Temperate

regions, and has its least development in the Australian region. Thrushes

are among the most perfectly organized of birds, and it is to this cause,

perhaps, as well as to their omnivorous diet, that they have been enabled

to establish themselves on a number of remote islands. Peculiar species of

true thrush are found in Norfolk Island, and in the small Lord Howes'

Island nearer Australia; the Island of St. Thomas in the Gulf of Guinea has

a peculiar species; while the Mid-Atlantic island Tristan d'Acunha,--one of

the most remote and isolated spots on the globe,--has a peculiarly modified

form of thrush. Several of the smaller West Indian Islands have also

peculiar species or genera of thrushes.

The family is of somewhat uncertain extent, blending insensibly with the

warblers (Sylviidæ) as well as with the Indian bulbuls {256}(Pycnonotidæ),

while one genus, usually placed in it (_Myiophonus_) seems to agree better

with _Enicurus_ among the Cinclidæ. The genera here admitted into the

thrush family are the following, the numbers prefixed to some of the genera

indicating their position in Gray's _Hand List of the Genera and Species of

Birds_:--

(1143) _Brachypteryx_ (8 sp.), Nepaul to Java and Ceylon (this may belong

to the Timaliidæ); _Turdus_ (100 sp.) has the range of the whole family,

abounding in the Palæarctic, Oriental and Neotropical regions, while it is

less plentiful in the Nearctic and Ethiopian, and very scarce in the

Australian; (934) _Oreocincla_ (11 sp.), Palæarctic and Oriental regions,

Australia and Tasmania; (942) _Rhodinocichla_ (1 sp.), Venezuela; (946)

_Melanoptila_ (1 sp.), Honduras; (947 948) _Catharus_ (10 sp.) Mexico to

Equador; (949 950) _Margarops_ (4 sp.), Hayti and Porto Rico to St. Lucia;

(951) _Nesocichla_ (1 sp.), Tristan d'Acunha; (952) _Geocichla_ (8 sp.),

India to Formosa and Celebes, Timor and North Australia; (954 955)

_Monticola_ (8 sp.), Central Europe to South Africa and to China,

Philippine Islands, Gilolo and Java; (956) _Orocætes_ (3 sp.), Himalayas

and N. China; _Zoothera_ (3 sp.) Himalayas, Aracan, Java, and Lombok;

_Mimus_ (20 sp.) Canada to Patagonia, West Indies and Galapagos; (962)

_Oreoscoptes_ (1 sp.), Rocky Mountains and Mexico; (963) _Melanotis_ (2

sp.), South Mexico and Guatemala; (964) _Galeoscoptes_ (1 sp.), Canada and

Eastern United States to Cuba and Panama; (965 966) _Mimocichla_ (5 sp.),

Greater Antilles; (967 968) _Harporhynchus_ (7 sp.), North America, from

the great lakes to Mexico; _Cinclocerthia_ (3 sp.), Lesser Antilles; (970)

_Rhamphocinclus_ (1 sp.), Lesser Antilles; _Chætops_ (3 sp.), South Africa;

_Cossypha_ = _Bessonornis_ (15 sp.) Ethiopian region and Palestine.

FAMILY 2.--SYLVIIDÆ. (74 Genera, 640 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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{257}This immense family, comprising all the birds usually known as

"warblers," is, as here constituted, of almost universal distribution. Yet

it is so numerous and preponderant over the whole Eastern Hemisphere, that

it may be well termed an Old-World group; only two undoubted genera with

very few species belonging to the Nearctic region, while two or three

others whose position is somewhat doubtful, are found in California and the

Neotropical region.

Canon Tristram, who has paid great attention to this difficult group, has

kindly communicated to me a MSS. arrangement of the genera and species,

which, with a very few additions and alterations, I implicitly follow. He

divides the Sylviidæ into seven sub-families, as follows:

1. Drymoecinæ (15 genera, 194 sp.), confined to the Old World and

Australia, and especially abundant in the three Tropical regions. 2.

Calamoherpinæ (11 genera, 75 sp.), has the same general distribution as the

last, but is scarce in the Australian and abundant in the Palæarctic

region; 3. Phylloscopinæ (11 genera, 139 sp.), has the same distribution as

the entire family, but is most abundant in the Oriental and Palæarctic

regions. 4. Sylviinæ (6 genera, 33 sp.), most abundant in the Palæarctic

region, very scarce in the Australian and Oriental regions, absent from

America. 5. Ruticillinæ (10 genera, 50 sp.); entirely absent from America

and Australia; abounds in the Oriental and Palæarctic regions. 6.

Saxicolinæ (12 genera, 126 sp.), absent from America (except the extreme

north-west), abundant in the Oriental region and moderately so in the

Palæarctic, Ethiopian, and Australian. 7. Accentorinæ (6 genera, 21 sp.),

absent from the Ethiopian region and South America, most abundant in

Australia, one small genus (_Sialia_), in North America.

The distribution of the several genera arranged under these sub-families,

is as follows:

1. DRYMOECINÆ.--(736) Orthotomus (13 sp.), all the Oriental region; (737)

_Prinia_ (11 sp.), all the Oriental region; (738 740 742 746) _Drymoeca_

(83 sp.), Ethiopian and Oriental regions, most abundant in the former; (743

to 745 and 749 to 752) _Cisticola_ (32 sp.), Ethiopian and Oriental

regions, with South Europe, China {258}and Australia; (741) _Suya_ (5 sp.),

Nepal to South China and Formosa; (773) _Sphenæacus_ (7 sp.), Australia,

New Zealand, and Chatham Island, with one species (?) in South Africa; (770

772) _Megalurus_ (4 sp.), Central India to Java and Timor; (774 775)

_Poodytes_ (2 sp.), Australia; (766) _Amytis_ (3 sp.), Australia; (768)

_Sphenura_ (4 sp.), Australia; (764) _Malurus_ (16 sp.), Australia and

Tasmania; (762 763) _Chthonicola_ (3 sp.), Australia; (761) _Calamanthus_

(2 sp.), Australia and Tasmania; (759) _Camaroptera_ (5 sp.), Africa and

Fernando Po; (753) _Apalis_ (1 sp.), South Africa.

2. CALAMOHERPINÆ.--(777 to 781 and sp. 2968) _Acrocephalus_ (35 sp.),

Palæarctic, Ethiopian, continental part of Oriental region, Moluccas,

Caroline Islands, and Australia; (782 818) _Dumeticola_ (4 sp.), Nepal to

East Thibet, Central Asia, high regions; (783 790) _Potamodus_ (3 sp.),

Central and South Europe, and East Thibet; (789 and sp. 2969) _Lusciniola_

(1 sp.), South Europe; (791 792) _Locustella_ (8 sp.), Palæarctic region to

Central India and China; (739) _Horites_ (5 sp.), Nepal to North-west China

and Formosa; (784-786) _Bradyptetus_ = _Cettia_ (10 sp.), South Europe,

Palestine, and South Africa; (747 748) _Catriscus_ (3 sp.), Tropical and

South Africa; _Bernieria_ (2 sp.), and (756) _Ellisia_ (3 sp.), Madagascar;

(832 a) _Mystacornis_ (1 sp.), Madagascar; (787) _Calamodus_ (2 sp.),

Europe and Palestine; (734) _Tatare_ (2 sp.) Samoa to Marquesas Islands.

3. PHYLLOSCOPINÆ.[5]--_Phylloscopus_ (18 sp.), all Palæarctic and Oriental

regions to Batchian; (757 758 820) _Eremomela_ (16 sp.), Tropical and South

Africa; (754) _Eroessa_ (1 sp.), Madagascar; [5]_Hypolais_ (12 sp.),

Palæarctic region, all India, Timor, North and South Africa; (815 816 819)

_Abrornis_ (26 sp.), Oriental region; (814) _Reguloides_ (4 sp.),

Palæarctic and continental Oriental regions; (822) _Sericornis_ (7 sp.),

Australia and Tasmania (823 824 1451) _Acanthiza_ (14 sp.), Australia and

New Caledonia; (821) _Regulus_ (7 sp.), all Palæarctic and Nearctic regions

and south to Guatemala; (890) _Polioptila_ (13 sp,); Paraguay to New

Mexico; (825) _Gerygone_ (22 sp.), Australia, Papuan and Timor groups, New

Zealand and Norfolk Island.

{259}4. SYLVIINÆ.--(793) _Aedon_ (9 sp.), Spain and Palestine, to East and

South Africa; (858) _Drymodes_ (2 sp.), Australia; (800) _Pyrophthalma_ (2

sp.), South Europe and Palestine; (801) _Melizophilus_ (3 sp.), South-west

Europe and North-east Africa; (802 804) _Sylvia_ = _Alsecus_ (8 sp.),

Palæarctic region to India and Ceylon, and North-east Africa; (806 809)

_Curruca_ (7 sp.), Central and South Europe, Madeira, Palestine, Central

India, North-east Africa, and South Africa.

5. RUTICILLINÆ.--(827) _Luscinia_ (2 sp.), West Asia, Europe, North Africa;

(839) _Cyanecula_ (3 sp.), Europe, North-east Africa, India, Ceylon, and

China; (840) _Calliope_ (2 sp.), North Asia, Himalayas, Central India, and

China; (838) _Erithacus_ (3 sp.), Europe, North-east Africa, Japan, and

North China; (828 830 837) _Ruticilla_ (20 sp.), Palæarctic and Oriental

regions to Senegal and Abyssinia, and east to Timor; abounds in Himalayas;

(829) _Chæmarrhornis_ (1 sp.), Himalayas; (831 832 834) _Larvivora_ (10

sp.), Oriental region and Japan; (833) _Notodela_ (3 sp.), Himalayas, Pegu,

Formosa, Java; (835) _Tarsiger_ (2 sp.), Nepal; (841) _Grandala_ (1 sp.),

High Himalayas of Nepal.

6. SAXICOLINÆ.--(975) _Copsychus_ (7 sp.), all Oriental region and

Madagascar; (976) _Kittacincla_ (5 sp.), Oriental region to {260}Ceylon,

Andaman Islands, Formosa, and Borneo; (794-799) _Thamnobia_ (10 sp.),

Ethiopian region and India to foot of Himalayas; (977) _Gervasia_ (2 sp.),

Madagascar and Seychelle Islands; (845 847) _Dromolæa_ (18 sp.), Africa to

South Europe, Palestine, North-west India, and North China; (842 843 846)

_Saxicola_ (36 sp.), Africa, North-west India, whole Palæarctic region,

migrating to Alaska and Greenland; (848 849) _Oreicola_ (5 sp.), Timor,

Lombok, and Burmah; (844) _Cercomela_ (6 sp.), North-east Africa to

North-west India; (850) _Pratincola_ (15 sp.), Europe, Ethiopian, and

Oriental regions to Celebes and Timor; (917) _Ephthianura_ (3 sp.),

Australia; (851-856) _Petroeca_ (17 sp.), Australian region, Papua to New

Zealand, Chatham and Auckland Islands, and Samoa; (857) _Miro_ (2 sp.), New

Zealand (doubtfully placed here).

7. ACCENTORINÆ.--(771) _Cinclorhamphus_ (2 sp.), Australia; (860) _Origma_

(1 sp.), East Australia; (859) _Sialia_ (8 sp.), United States to

Guatemala; (861) _Accentor_ (12 sp.), Palæarctic region to Himalayas and

North-west China; (703) _Orthonyx_ (4 sp.), East Australia and New Zealand

(doubtfully placed here).

The following two genera, which have been usually classed as Ampelidæ, are

arranged by Messrs. Sclater and Salvin in the Sylviidæ:--

(1362) _Myiadestes_ (8 sp.), Peru and Bolivia, along the Andes to Mexico

and California, also the Antilles; (1364) _Cichlopsis_ (1 sp.), Brazil.

FAMILY 3.--TIMALIIDÆ. (35 Genera, 240 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Timaliidæ, or babbling thrushes, are a group of small strong-legged

active birds, mostly of dull colours, which are especially characteristic

of the Oriental region, in every part of which they abound, while they are

much less plentiful in {261}Australia and Africa. The Indo-Chinese

sub-region is the head quarters of the family, whence it diminishes rapidly

in all directions in variety of both generic and specific forms. Viscount

Walden has kindly assisted me in the determination of the limits of this

family, as to which there is still much difference of opinion. The

distribution of the genera here admitted is as follows; and as the genera

are widely scattered in the _Hand List_, reference numbers are prefixed in

every case.

(1023-1026 1008) _Pomatorhinus_ (27 sp.), the whole Oriental region

(excluding Philippines), Australia and New Guinea; (1027) _Pterohinus_ (3

sp.), North China, East Thibet; (1029 1030) _Malacocircus_ (9 sp.),

Continental India and Ceylon, Arabia, Nubia; (1031) _Chatarrhæa_ (5 sp.),

Abyssinia, Palestine, India, Nepal, Burmah, and Philippines; (1032)

_Layardia_ (3 sp.), India and Ceylon; (1033) _Acanthoptila_ (1 sp.), Nepal;

(1034) _Cinclosoma_ (4 sp.), Australia and Tasmania; (1035 1036)

_Crateropus_ (18 sp.), all Africa, Persia; (1037) _Hypergerus_ (1 sp.),

West Africa; (1038) _Cichladusa_ (3 sp.), Tropical Africa; (1039)

_Garrulax_ (23 sp.), the Oriental region (excluding Philippines); (1040)

_Janthocincla_ (10 sp.), Nepal, to East Thibet, Sumatra, Formosa; (1041

1042) _Gampsorhynchus_ (2 sp.), Himalayas; (1049) _Grammatoptila_ (1 sp.),

North India; (1043-1045) _Trochalopteron_ (24 sp.), all India to China and

Formosa; (1046) _Actinodura_ (4 sp.), Nepal to Burmah, 3,000-10,000 feet;

(1047) _Pellorneum_ (4 sp.), Nepal to Ceylon, Tenasserim; (1158 1159)

_Timalia_ (12 sp.), Malaya;[6] (1160) _Dumetia_ (2 sp.), Central India and

Ceylon; (1162) _Stachyris_ (6 sp.), Nepal to Assam, Sumatra, Formosa;

(1164) _Pyctorhis_ (3 sp.), India to Ceylon and Burmah; (1165) _Mixornis_

(8 sp.), Himalayas and Malaya; (1167) _Malacopteron_ (3 sp.), Malaya; (1168

1169) _Alcippe_ (15 sp.), Ceylon and South India, Himalayas to Aracan,

Malaya, Formosa, New Guinea; (1170) _Macronus_ (2 sp.), Malaya; (1171)

_Cacopitta_ (5 sp.), Malaya; (1172) _Trichastoma_ (11 sp.), Nepal, Burmah,

Malaya, Celebes; (1173) _Napothera_ (6 sp.), Malaya; (1174) _Drymocataphus_

(8 sp.), Burmah, Malaya, Ceylon, {262}Timor; (1175) _Turdinus_ (5 sp.),

Khasia Hills, Malacca, Tenasserim; (1176) _Trichixos_ (1 sp.), Borneo,

Malacca; (1004) _Sibia_ (6 sp.), Nepal to Assam, Tenasserim, Formosa; (1177

1178) _Alethe_ (4 sp.), West Africa; (1178 a) _Oxylabes_ (1 sp.),

Madagascar; (1050) _Psophodes_ (2 sp.), South, East, and West Australia;

(1048) _Turnagra_ (3 sp.), New Zealand.

FAMILY 4.--PANURIDÆ. (4 Genera, 13 Species).

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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This new family is adopted, at the suggestion of Professor Newton, to

include some peculiar groups of Himalayan birds whose position has usually

been among the Timaliidæ or the Paridæ, but which are now found to be

allied to our Bearded Reedling. The supposed affinity of this bird for the

Tits has been long known to be erroneous, and the family Panuridæ was

formed for its reception (Yarrell's _British Birds_, 4th edit. p. 512). The

genera having hitherto been widely scattered in systematic works, are

referred to by the numbers of Mr. G. E. Gray's _Hand List_.

(1901) _Paradoxornis_ (3 sp.), Himalayas and East Thibet; (1904)

_Conostoma_ (1 sp.), Himalayas and East Thibet; (876) _Suthora_ (8 sp.),

Himalayas to North-west China, Formosa; (877) _Chlenasicus_ (1 sp.),

Darjeeling; (887) _Panurus_ (1 sp.), Central and Southern Europe; (1902)

_Heteromorpha_ (1 sp.), Nepal, 10,000 feet altitude; _Cholornis_ (1 sp.),

Moupin in East Thibet.

FAMILY 5.--CINCLIDÆ. (4 Genera, 27 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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{263}The Cinclidæ consist of a number of more or less thrush-like

ground-birds, of which the most remarkable are the Dippers, forming the

genus _Cinclus_. These are curiously distributed, from the Palæarctic

region as a centre, to the alpine districts of North and South America;

while the three genera which are here included as somewhat allied to

_Cinclus_, all inhabit the Oriental region. The genera which I class in

this family are the following:--

(978) _Cinclus_ (9 sp.), Palæarctic region to West China and Formosa, Rocky

Mountains, and Mexico in North America, and southward to the Andes of Peru;

(916) _Enicurus_ (9 sp.), Himalayas to Java and West China; (979) _Eupetes_

(4 sp.), Indo-Malay sub-region and New Guinea; (971) _Myiophonus_ (5 sp.),

Himalayas to Ceylon, Java, South China, and Formosa.

(981) _Mesites_ (1 sp.), Madagascar, is an anomalous bird placed with

_Eupetes_ by Mr. G. R. Gray, but of very uncertain affinities.

FAMILY 6.--TROGLODYTIDÆ. (17 Genera, 94 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Troglodytidæ, or Wrens, are small birds, rather abundant and varied in

the Neotropical region, with a few species scattered through the Nearctic,

Palæarctic, and parts of the Oriental regions, and one doubtful genus in

Africa. The constitution of the family is by no means well determined. The

South American genera are taken from Messrs. Sclater and Salvin's

_Nomenclator Avium Neotropicalium_.

_Tesia_ (2 sp.), Eastern Himalayas; _Pnoepyga_ (6 sp.), Himalayas to East

Thibet, Java; (716 and 723) _Troglodytes_ (15 sp.), Neotropical, Nearctic,

and Palæarctic regions to the Higher Himalayas; (697) _Rimator_ (1 sp.),

Darjeeling; _Thryothorus_ (13 sp.), South Brazil to Mexico, Martinique, and

Nearctic region; _Thryophilus_ (13 sp.), Brazil to Mexico, and North-west

America; _Cistothorus_ {264}(5 sp.), Patagonia to Greenland; _Uropsila_ (1

sp.), Mexico; _Donacobius_ (2 sp.), Tropical America; _Campylorhynchus_ (18

sp.), Brazil, and Bolivia to Mexico and the Gila valley; _Cyphorhinus_ (5

sp.), Equatorial South America to Costa Rica; _Microcerculus_ (5 sp.),

Brazil and Peru to Mexico; _Henicorhina_ (2 sp.), Peru and Guiana to Costa

Rica; _Salpinctes_ (1 sp.), High Plains of Rocky Mountains; _Catherpes_ (1

sp.), Mexico and Rio Grande; _Cinnicerthia_ (2 sp.), Ecuador and Columbia.

(760) _Sylvietta_ (2 sp.), Tropical and South Africa,--is placed in this

family by Mr. Tristram.

FAMILY 7.--CHAMÆIDÆ. (1 Genus, 1 Species).

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The bird which forms the genus _Chamæa_ inhabits California; and though

allied to the wrens it has certain peculiarities of structure which, in the

opinion of many ornithologists, require that it should be placed in a

distinct family.

FAMILY 8.--CERTHIIDÆ. (6 Genera, 18 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Certhiidæ, or Creepers, form a small family whose species are thinly

scattered over North America from Mexico, the Palæarctic region, parts of

the Oriental region, and Australia, where they are somewhat more abundant.

The distribution of the genera is as follows:

_Certhia_ (6 sp.), Nearctic and Palæarctic regions, Nepal, and Sikhim;

_Salpornis_ (1 sp.), Central India; _Tichodroma_, (1 sp.), South

{265}Europe to Abyssinia, Nepal, and North China; _Rhabdornis_ (1 sp.),

Philippine Islands; _Climacteris_ (8 sp.), Australia and New Guinea.

FAMILY 9.--SITTIDÆ. (6 Genera, 31 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Sittidæ, or Nuthatches, are another small family of tree-creeping

birds, whose distribution is very similar to that of the Certhiidæ, but

with a more uniform range over the Oriental region, and extending to New

Zealand and Madagascar. The genera are as follows:--

_Sitta_ (17 sp.), Palæarctic and Nearctic regions to South India and

Mexico; _Dendrophila_ (2 sp.), Ceylon and India to Burmah and Malaya;

_Hypherpes_ (1 sp.), Madagascar; _Sittella_ (6 sp.), Australia and New

Guinea. _Acanthisitta_ (1 sp.) and _Xenicus_ (4 sp.), New Zealand, are

placed with some doubt in this family.

FAMILY 10.--PARIDÆ. (14 Genera, 92 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Paridæ, or Tits, are very abundant in the Nearctic and Palæarctic

regions; many fine species are found in the Himalayas, but they are

sparingly scattered through the Ethiopian, Oriental, and Australian

regions. The genera usually admitted into this family are the following,

but the position of some of them, especially of the Australian forms, is

doubtful.

(864-867 870) _Parus_ (46 sp.), North America, from Mexico, Palæarctic, and

Oriental regions, Tropical and South Africa; {266}(868 869) _Lophophanes_

(10 sp.), Europe, the Higher Himalayas to Sikhim, North America to Mexico;

_Acredula_ = _Orites_ (6 sp.), Palæarctic region; _Melanochlora_ (2 sp.),

Nepal to Sumatra; _Psaltria_ (1 sp.), Java; _Psaltriparus_ (3 sp.),

Guatemala to California, and Rocky Mountains; _Auriparus_ (1 sp.), Rio

Grande; (881 882) _Parisoma_ (5 sp.), Tropical and South Africa; (883 884)

_Ægithalus_ (6 sp.), South-east Europe to South Africa; (885 889)

_Ægithaliscus_ (6 sp.), Afghanistan and Himalayas to Amoy; _Cephalopyrus_

(1 sp.), North-west Himalayas; _Sylviparus_ (1 sp.), Himalayas and Central

India; _Certhiparus_ (2 sp.), New Zealand; (879 880) _Sphenostoma_ (2 sp.),

East and South Australia.

FAMILY 11.--LIOTRICHIDÆ. (11 Genera, 35 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Liotrichidæ, or Hill-Tits, are small, active, delicately-coloured

birds, almost confined to the Himalayas and their extension eastward to

China. They are now generally admitted to form a distinct family. The

genera are distributed as follows:

(1146) _Liothrix_ (3 sp.), Himalayas to China; _Siva_ (3 sp.), Himalayas;

_Minla_ (4 sp.), Himalayas and East Thibet; _Proparus_ (7 sp.), Nepal to

East Thibet and Aracan; (1153) _Pteruthius_ (6 sp.), Himalayas to Java and

West China; (1155) _Cutia_ (2 sp.), Nepal; (1019) _Yuhina_ (3 sp.), High

Himalayas and Moupin; (1020) _Ixulus_ (3 sp.), Himalayas to Tenasserim;

(1021) _Myzornis_ (1 sp.), Darjeeling.

FAMILY 12.--PHYLLORNITHIDÆ. (3 Genera, 14 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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{267}The Phyllornithidæ, or "Green Bulbuls," are a small group of

fruit-eating birds, strictly confined to the Oriental region, and ranging

over the whole of it, with the one exception of the Philippine Islands. The

genera are:--

(1022) _Phyllornis_ (12 sp.), India to Java, Ceylon, and Hainan; (1166)

_Iora_ (4 sp.), the whole Oriental region; (1163) _Erpornis_ (2 sp.),

Borneo, Himalayas, Hainan, and Formosa.

FAMILY 13.--PYCNONOTIDÆ. (9 Genera, 139 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Pycnonotidæ, Bulbuls, or fruit-thrushes, are highly characteristic of

the Oriental region, in every part of which they abound; less plentiful in

the Ethiopian region, and extending to Palestine and Japan in the

Palæarctic, and to the Moluccas in the Australian region, but absent from

the intervening island of Celebes. The genera are:--

MICROSCELIS (6 sp.), Burmah, the Indo-Malay Islands, and Japan;

_Pycnonotus_ (52 sp., in many sub-genera), Palestine to South Africa, the

whole Oriental region, China and Japan; _Alcurus_ (1 sp.), Himalayas;

_Hemixus_ (2 sp.), Nepal, Bootan, Hainan; _Phyllastrephus_ (4 sp.), West

and South Africa; _Hypsipetes_ (20 sp.), the whole Oriental region,

Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands; _Tylas_ (1 sp.), Madagascar;

_Criniger_ (30 sp.), the whole Oriental region (excluding Philippines),

West and South Africa, Moluccas; _Ixonotus_ (7 sp.), West Africa; (1015

1017) _Setornis_ (3 sp.), Malacca, Sumatra, and Borneo; _Iole_ (4 sp.),

Aracan and Malaya; _Andropadus_ (9 sp.), Tropical Africa; (1157)

_Lioptilus_ (1 sp.), South Africa.

{268}FAMILY 14.--ORIOLIDÆ. (5 Genera, 40 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Orioles, or Golden Thrushes, are a small group characteristic of the

Oriental and Ethiopian regions, migrating into the western Palæarctic

region, and with some of the less typical forms in Australia. The genera

are:--

_Oriolus_ (24 sp.), Central Europe, throughout Africa, and the whole

Oriental region, northward to Pekin, and eastward to Flores; (1073)

_Analcipus_ (3 sp.), Himalayas, Formosa, Java and Borneo; _Mimeta_ (9 sp.),

the Moluccas and Australia; _Sphecotheres_ (3 sp.), Timor and Australia.

_Artamia_ (1 sp.), Madagascar,--perhaps belongs to the next family or to

Laniidæ.

FAMILY 15.--CAMPEPHAGIDÆ (3 Genera, 100 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Campephagidæ, or Cuckoo Shrikes, (Campephaginæ of the _Hand List_, with

the addition of _Cochoa_) are most abundant in the Australian region

(especially in the Austro-Malay sub-region), less so in the Oriental, and

still less in the Ethiopian region. The genera, for the most part as

adopted by Dr. Hartlaub, are as follows:--

_Pericrocotus_ (22 sp.), the whole Oriental region, extending north to

Pekin, and east to Lombok; (1242-1244) _Lanicterus_ (4 sp.), West and South

Africa; (1245 1246) _Graucalus_ (25 sp.), the whole Oriental region, and

eastward to Austro-Malaya, the New {269}Hebrides, and Tasmania; _Artamides_

(1 sp.), Celebes; _Pteropodocys_ (1 sp.), Australia; (1248 1250 1257 1258)

_Campephaga_ (16 sp.), Austro-Malaya, and New Caledonia, Philippines, the

Ethiopian region; _Volvocivora_ (8 sp.) the Oriental region (excluding

Philippines); _Lalage_ (18 sp.), the whole Malay Archipelago to New

Caledonia and Australia; _Symmorphus_ (1 sp.), Australia; _Oxynotus_ (2

sp.), Mauritius and Bourbon; (1204) _Cochoa_ (3 sp.), Himalayas, Java. The

position of this last genus is doubtful. Jerdon puts it in the Liotrichidæ;

Sundeval in the Sturnidæ; Bonaparte in the Dicruridæ; Professor Newton

suggests the Pycnonotidæ; but it seems on the whole best placed here.

FAMILY 16.--DICRURIDÆ. (6 Genera, 58 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Dicruridæ, or Drongo Shrikes (Dicruridæ of the _Hand List_, omitting

the genus _Melænornis_), have nearly the same distribution as the last

family, with which they are sometimes united. They are, however, most

abundant and varied in the Oriental region, much less so both in the

Australian and Ethiopian regions. The distribution of the genera is as

follows:--

_Dicrurus_ (46 sp., in several sub-genera), has the range of the whole

family, extending east to New Ireland, and one species in Australia;

_Chætorhynchus_ (1 sp.), New Guinea; _Bhringa_ (2 sp.), Himalayas to Borneo

(Plate IX. vol. i. p. 339); _Chibia_ (2 sp.), Himalayas eastward to North

China; _Chaptia_ (3 sp.), all India to Malacca and Formosa; _Irena_ (4

sp.), Central India, Assam, and Burmah to Borneo and the Philippine

Islands. This last genus is placed by Jerdon among the Pycnonotidæ, but

seems to come most naturally here or in the last family.

{270}FAMILY 17.--MUSCICAPIDÆ. (44 Genera, 283 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Muscicapidæ, or Flycatchers (Muscicapinæ and Myiagrinæ of the _Hand

List_, omitting _Cochoa_ and including _Pogonocichla_) form an extensive

family of usually small-sized and often bright-coloured birds, very

abundant in the warmer regions of the Old World and Australia, but becoming

scarce as we approach the temperate and colder regions. They are wholly

absent from North and South America. The genera, many of which are not well

defined, are distributed as follows:--

_Peltops_ (1 sp.), Papuan Islands; _Monarcha_ (28 sp.), Moluccas to the

Carolines and Marquesas Islands, Australia and Tasmania; _Leucophantes_ (1

sp.), New Guinea; _Butalis_ (4 sp.), Ethiopian and Palæarctic regions,

Moluccas and Formosa; _Muscicapa_ (12 sp.), Europe and Africa;

_Muscicapula_ (6 sp.), India to Western China; _Alseonax_ (1 sp.), South

Africa; _Erythrosterna_ (7 sp.), Europe to China and Java; _Newtonia_ (1

sp.), Madagascar; _Xanthopygia_ (2 sp.), Japan, China, Malacca; _Hemipus_

(1 sp.), India and Ceylon; _Pycnophrys_ (1 sp.), Java; _Hyliota_ (2 sp.),

West Africa; _Erythrocercus_ (2 sp.), West Africa and Zambesi; _Micræca_ (6

sp.), Australia, Timor, and Papuan Islands; _Artomyias_ (2 sp.), West

Africa; _Pseudobias_ (1 sp.), Madagascar; _Hemichelidon_ (3 sp.), the

Oriental region and North China; _Smithornis_ (2 sp.), West and South

Africa; _Megabias_ (1 sp.), West Africa; _Cassinia_ (2 sp.), West Africa;

_Bias_, (1 sp.), Tropical Africa; _Niltava_ (3 sp.), Himalayas to West

China; _Cyornis_ (16 sp.), the whole Oriental region; _Cyanoptila_ (1 sp.),

Japan, China, Hainan; _Eumyias_ (7 sp.), India to South China, Ceylon, and

Sumatra; (1213 and 1216) _Siphia_ (8 sp.), North India, Formosa, Timor;

_Anthipes_ (1 sp.), Nepal; _Seisura_ (5 sp.), Australia and

{271}Austro-Malaya (excluding Celebes); _Myiagra_ (16 sp.), Australia and

Moluccas to Caroline and Samoa Islands; _Hypothymis_ (2 sp.), Oriental

region and Celebes; _Elminia_ (2 sp.), Tropical Africa; _Muscitodus_ (2

sp.), Fiji Islands; _Machærirhynchus_ (4 sp.), Papuan Islands and North

Australia; _Platystira_ (12 sp.), Tropical and South Africa; _Rhipidura_

(45 sp.), the Oriental and Australian regions to the Samoa Islands and

Tasmania; _Chelidorynx_ (1 sp.), North India; _Myialestes_ (2 sp.), India

to Ceylon, China, Java and Celebes; _Tchitrea_ (26 sp.), the entire

Ethiopian and Oriental regions, and to North China and Japan; _Philentoma_

(4 sp.), Malacca, Sumatra, Borneo, and Philippine Islands; _Todopsis_ (6

sp.), Papuan Islands; (836) _Pogonocichla_ (1 sp.), South Africa;

(1061-1063) _Bradyornis_ (7 sp.), Tropical and South Africa; (1460)

_Chasiempis_ (2 sp.), Sandwich Islands.

FAMILY 18.--PACHYCEPHALIDÆ. (5 Genera, 62 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Pachycephalidæ, or Thick-headed Shrikes (Pachycephalinæ of the _Hand

List_ omitting _Colluricincla_, _Cracticus_, and _Pardalotus_) are almost

confined to the Australian region, a single species extending to Java and

Aracan, and another (?) to Madagascar. The family has generally been united

with the Laniidæ, but most modern ornithologists consider it to be

distinct. The distribution of the genera is as follows:--

_Oreoeca_ (1 sp.), Australia; _Falcunculus_ (2 sp.), Australia;

_Pachycephala_ (44 sp.), Sula Islands (east of Celebes) to the Fiji

Islands, and Australia; _Hylocharis_ (4 sp.), Timor, Celebes, Indo-Malaya,

and Aracan; _Calicalicus_ (1 sp.), Madagascar; _Eopsaltria_ (14 sp.),

Australia, New Caledonia, and the New Hebrides; _Artamia_ (4 sp.),

Madagascar,--may belong to this family, or to Laniidæ, Oriolidæ, or

Artamidæ, according to different authors.

{272}FAMILY 19.--LANIIDÆ. (19 Genera, 145 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Laniidæ, or Shrikes (Laniinæ and Malaconotinæ of the _Hand List_, and

including _Colluricincla_), are most abundant and varied in Africa, less

plentiful in the Oriental, Australian, and Palæarctic regions, with a few

species in the Nearctic region as far as Mexico. The constitution of the

family is, however, somewhat uncertain. The genera here admitted are:--

_Colluricincla_ (4 sp.), Australia and Tasmania; _Rectes_ (18 sp.), Papuan

Islands, North Australia, to Pelew and Fiji Islands; (1462-1464 1466 1470

1471-1473) _Lanius_ (50 sp.), the whole Nearctic, Palæarctic, Ethiopian,

and Oriental regions, one species reaching Timor, none in Madagascar;

_Laniellus_ (1 sp.), Java; _Hypocolius_ (1 sp.), Abyssinia and Upper Nile;

_Corvinella_ (1 sp.), South and West Africa; _Urolestes_ (1 sp.), South and

East Africa; _Tephrodornis_ (4 sp.), Oriental region to Hainan and Java;

_Hypodes_ (1 sp.), West Africa; _Fraseria_ (2 sp.), West Africa;

_Cuphopterus_ (1 sp.), Princes' Island; _Nilaus_ (1 sp.), South and West

Africa; _Prionops_ (9 sp.), Tropical Africa; _Eurocephalus_ (2 sp.), North,

East, and South Africa, and Abyssinia; _Chaunonotus_ (1 sp.), West Africa;

_Vanga_ (4 sp.), Madagascar (Plate VI. vol. i. p. 278); _Laniarius_ (36

sp.), the whole Ethiopian region; _Telephonus_ (10 sp.), all Africa and

South Europe; _Meristes_ (2 sp.), Tropical and South Africa; _Nicator_ (1

sp.), East Africa.

FAMILY 20.--CORVIDÆ. (24 Genera, 190 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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{273}The Corvidæ, or Crows, Jays, &c., form an extensive and somewhat

heterogeneous group, some members of which inhabit almost every part of the

globe, although none of the genera are cosmopolitan. The true crows are

found everywhere but in South America; the magpies, choughs, and

nutcrackers are characteristic of the Palæarctic region; the jays are

Palæarctic, Oriental, and American; while the piping crows are peculiarly

Australian. The more detailed distribution of the genera is as follows:--

Sub-family I. Gymnorhininæ (Piping Crows).--_Strepera_ (4 sp.), and

_Gymnorhina_ (3 sp.), are Australian only; _Cracticus_ (9 sp.), ranges from

New Guinea to Tasmania (this is usually put with the Shrikes, but it has

more affinity with the preceding genera); _Pityriasis_ (1 sp.), Borneo (an

extraordinary bird of very doubtful affinities); _Grallina_ (1 sp.),

Australia, is put here by Sundevall,--among Motacillidæ, by Gould.

Sub-family II. _Garrulinæ_ (Jays).--_Platylophus_ = _Lophocitta_ (4 sp.),

Malaya; _Garrulus_ (12 sp.), Palæarctic region, China and Himalayas;

_Perisoreus_ (2 sp.), North of Palæarctic and Nearctic regions; _Cyanurus_

(22 sp.), American, from Bolivia to Canada, most abundant in Central

America, but absent from the Antilles; _Cyanocorax_ (15 sp.), La Plata to

Mexico; _Calocitta_ (2 sp.), Guatemala and Mexico; _Psilorhinus_ (3 sp.),

Costa Rica to Texas; _Urocissa_ (6 sp.), Western Himalayas to China and

Formosa; _Cissa_ (3 sp.), South-eastern Himalayas to Tenasserim, Ceylon,

Sumatra, and Java.

Sub-family III. Dendrocittinæ (Tree Crows).--_Temnurus_ (3 sp.), Cochin

China, Malacca to Borneo (not Java); _Dendrocitta_ (9 sp.), the Oriental

region to Sumatra, Hainan, and Formosa; _Crypsirhina_ (3 sp.), Pegu, Siam,

and Java; _Ptilostomus_ (2 sp.), West, East, and South Africa.

Sub-family IV. Corvinæ (Crows and Magpies).--_Nucifraga_ (4 sp.),

Palæarctic region to the Himalayas and North China; _Picicorvus_ (1 sp.),

the Rocky Mountains and California; _Gymnokitta_ (1 sp.), Rocky Mountains

and Arizona (Plate XVIII., Vol. II., p. 128); _Pica_ (9 sp.), Palæarctic

region, Arctic America, and California; _Cyanopica_ (3 sp.), Spain,

North-east Asia, Japan; {274}_Streptocitta_ (2 sp.), Celebes; _Charitornis_

(1 sp.), Sula Islands; _Corvus_ (55 sp.), universally distributed except

South America and New Zealand, but found in Guatemala and the Antilles to

Porto Rico; reaches the extreme north of Europe and Asia; _Gymnocorvus_ (2

sp.), Papuan Islands; _Picathartes_ (1 sp.), West Africa; _Corvultur_ (2

sp.), Tropical and South Africa.

Sub-family V. Fregilinæ (Choughs).--_Fregilus_ (3 sp.), mountains and

cliffs of Palæarctic region from West Europe to the Himalayas and North

China, Abyssinia (Plate I., Vol. I., p. 195); _Corcorax_ (1 sp.),

Australia.

FAMILY 21.--PARADISEIDÆ. (19 Genera, 34 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Paradiseidæ, or "Birds of Paradise," form one of the most remarkable

families of birds, unsurpassed alike for the singularity and the beauty of

their plumage. Till recently the family was restricted to about eight

species of the more typical Paradise birds, but in his splendid monograph

of the group, Mr. Elliot has combined together a number of allied forms

which had been doubtfully placed in several adjacent families. The various

species of true Paradise birds, having ornamental plumes developed from

different parts of the body, are almost wholly confined to New Guinea and

the adjacent Papuan Islands, one species only being found in the Moluccas

and one in North Australia; while the less typical Bower-birds, having no

such developments of plumage, are most characteristic of the north and east

of Australia, with a few species in New Guinea. The distribution of the

genera according to Mr. Elliot's monograph is as follows:--

Sub-family I. Paradiseinæ.--_Paradisea_ (4 sp.), Papuan Islands;

_Manucodia_ (3 sp.), Papuan Islands and North Australia; _Astrapia_ (1

sp.), New Guinea; _Parotia_ (1 sp.), New Guinea; _Lophorhina_ (1 sp.), New

Guinea; _Diphyllodes_ (3 sp.), Papuan {275}Islands; _Xanthomelus_ (1 sp.),

New Guinea; _Cicinnurus_ (1 sp.), Papuan Islands; _Paradigalla_ (1 sp.),

New Guinea; _Semioptera_ (1 sp.), Gilolo and Batchian.

Sub-family II. Epimachinæ.--_Epimachus_ (1 sp.), New Guinea; _Drepanornis_

(1 sp.), New Guinea; _Seleucides_ (1 sp.), New Guinea (Plate X., Vol. I.,

p. 414); _Ptilorhis_ (4 sp.), New Guinea and North Australia.

Sub-family III. Tectonarchinæ (Bower-birds).--_Sericulus_ (1 sp.), Eastern

Australia; _Ptilonorhynchus_ (1 sp.), Eastern Australia; _Chlamydodera_ (4

sp.), North and East Australia; _Ælurædus_ (3 sp.), Papuan Islands and East

Australia; _Amblyornis_ (1 sp.), New Guinea.

FAMILY 22.--MELIPHAGIDÆ. (23 Genera, 190 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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(As in the _Hand List_, but omitting Zosterops, and slightly altering the

arrangement.)

The extensive group of the Meliphagidæ, or Honey-suckers, is wholly

Australian, for the genus _Zosterops_, which extends into the Oriental and

Ethiopian regions, does not naturally belong to it. Several of the genera

are confined to Australia, others to New Zealand, while a few range over

the whole Australian region. The genera are distributed as follows:--

_Myzomela_ (18 sp.), has the widest range, extending from Celebes to the

Samoa Islands, and to Timor and Eastern Australia; _Entomophila_ (4 sp.),

Australia and New Guinea; _Gliciphila_ (10 sp.), Australia, Timor, New

Guinea, and New Caledonia; _Acanthorhynchus_ (2 sp.), Australia and

Tasmania; Meliphaga (1 sp.), Australia; _Ptilotis_ (40 sp.), Gilolo and

Lombok to Australia and Tasmania, and to the Samoa and Tonga Islands;

_Meliornis_ (5 sp.), Australia and Tasmania; _Prosthemadera_ (1 sp.),

_Pogonornis_ (1 sp.), New Zealand; _Anthornis_ (4 sp.), New Zealand and

Chatham Islands; _Anthochæra_ (4 sp.), Australia and Tasmania;

{276}_Xanthotis_ (4 sp.), Papuan Islands and Australia; _Leptornis_ (2

sp.), Samoa Islands and New Caledonia; _Philemon_ = _Tropidorhyncus_ (18

sp.), Moluccas and Lombok to New Guinea, Australia, Tasmania and New

Caledonia; _Entomiza_ (2 sp.), Australia; _Manorhina_ (5 sp.), Australia

and Tasmania; _Euthyrhynchus_ (3 sp.), New Guinea; _Melirrhophetes_ (2

sp.), New Guinea; _Melidectes_ (1 sp.), New Guinea; _Melipotes_ (1 sp.),

New Guinea; _Melithreptus_ (8 sp.), New Guinea, Australia, and Tasmania;

(397) _Moho_ (3 sp.), Sandwich Islands; _Chætoptila_ (1 sp.), Sandwich

Islands.

FAMILY 23.--NECTARINIIDÆ. (11 Genera, 122 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Nectariniidæ, or Sun-birds, form a rather extensive group of

insectivorous honey-suckers, often adorned with brilliant metallic plumage,

and bearing a superficial resemblance to the American humming-birds,

although not in any way related to them. They abound in the Ethiopian,

Oriental, and Australian regions, as far east as New Ireland, and south to

Queensland, while one species inhabits the hot Jordan Valley in the

Palæarctic region. For the Eastern genera I follow Lord Walden's

classification (Ibis, 1870); the African species not having been so

carefully studied are mostly placed in one genus. The genera adopted are as

follows:--

_Promerops_ (1 sp.), South Africa; _Nectarinia_ (60 sp.), the whole

Ethiopian region; _Cinnyricinclus_ (5 sp.), West Africa; _Neodrepanis_ (1

sp.), Madagascar; _Arachnecthra_ (13 sp.), Palestine, all India to Hainan,

the Papuan Islands, and North-east Australia; _Æthopyga_ (15 sp.),

Himalayas and Central India to West China, Hainan, Java, and Northern

Celebes; _Nectarophila_ (5 sp.), Central India and Ceylon, Assam and Aracan

to Java, Celebes and the Philippines; _Chalcostetha_ (6 sp.), Malay

Peninsula to New Guinea; _Anthreptes_ (1 sp.), Siam, Malay Peninsula to

{277}Sula Islands, and Flores; _Cosmeteira_ (1 sp.), Papuan Islands;

_Arachnothera_ (15 sp.), the Oriental region (excluding Philippines)

Celebes, Lombok, and Papuan Islands.

FAMILY 24.--DICÆIDÆ. (5 Genera, 107 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Dicæidæ, or Flower-peckers, consist of very small, gaily-coloured

birds, rather abundant over the whole Oriental and much of the Australian

regions, and one genus extending over the Ethiopian region. The genera here

adopted are the following:--

(622) _Zosterops_ (68 sp.), the whole Ethiopian, Oriental, and Australian

regions, as far east as the Fiji Islands, and north to Pekin and Japan;

(400-403) _Dicæum_ (25 sp.), the whole Oriental region, except China, with

the Australian region as far as the Solomon Islands; (404) _Pachyglossa_ (2

sp. 1437 1442), Nepal and Northern Celebes; (405) _Piprisoma_ (2 sp.),

Himalayas to Ceylon and Timor; (1450) _Pardalotus_ (10 sp.), Australia and

Tasmania; (407-409) _Prionochilus_ (5 sp.), Indo-Malay sub-region and

Papuan Islands.

FAMILY 25.--DREPANIDIDÆ. (4 Genera, 8 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Drepanididæ are confined to the Sandwich Islands, and I follow Mr.

Sclater's suggestion in bringing together the following genera to form this

family:--

_Drepanis_ (3 sp.); _Hemignathus_ (3 sp.); _Loxops_ (1 sp.); _Psittirostra_

(1 sp.). If these are correctly associated, the great {278}differences in

the bill indicate that they are the remains of a larger and more varied

family, once inhabiting more extensive land surfaces in the Pacific.

FAMILY 26.--COEREBIDÆ. (11 Genera, 55 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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(According to the arrangement of Messrs. Sclater and Salvin.)

The Coerebidæ, or Sugar-birds, are delicate little birds allied to the

preceding families, but with extensile honey-sucking tongues. They are

almost wholly confined to the tropical parts of America, only one species

of _Certhiola_ ranging so far north as Florida. The following is the

distribution of the genera:--

_Diglossa_ (14 sp.), Peru and Bolivia to Guiana and Mexico; _Diglossopis_

(1 sp.), Ecuador to Venezuela; _Oreomanes_ (1 sp.), Ecuador; _Conirostrum_

(6 sp.), Bolivia to Ecuador and Columbia; _Hemidacnis_ (1 sp.), Upper

Amazon and Columbia; _Dacnis_ (13 sp.), Brazil to Ecuador and Costa Rica;

_Certhidea_ (2 sp.), Galapagos Islands; _Chlorophanes_ (2 sp.), Brazil to

Central America and Cuba; _Coereba_ (4 sp.), Brazil to Mexico; _Certhiola_

(10 sp.), Amazon to Mexico, West Indies, and Florida; _Glossoptila_ (1

sp.), Jamaica.

FAMILY 27.--MNIOTILTIDÆ. (18 Genera, 115 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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(Messrs. Sclater and Salvin are followed for the Neotropical, Baird and

Allen for the Nearctic region.)

The Mniotiltidæ, or Wood-warblers, are an interesting group of small and

elegant birds, allied to the preceding family and to the greenlets, and

perhaps also to the warblers and tits of Europe. {279}They range over all

North America from Panama to the Arctic regions, but do not extend far

beyond the tropic in Southern America. They are almost as abundant in the

Nearctic as in the Neotropical region; and considering the favourable

conditions of existence in Tropical America, this fact, in connection with

their absence from the South Temperate zone would lead us to suppose that

they originated in North Temperate America, and subsequently spread

southward into the tropics. This supposition is strengthened by the fact

that their metropolis, in the breeding season, is to the north of the

United States. The genera adopted by Messrs. Sclater and Salvin are as

follows:--

(918) _Siurus_ (4 sp.), Venezuela and West Indies to Eastern States and

Canada; _Mniotilta_ (1 sp.), Venezuela, Mexico, and Antilles to the Eastern

States; _Parula_ (5 sp.), Brazil to Mexico, and the Eastern States, and

Canada; _Protonotaria_ (1 sp.), Antilles to Ohio; _Helminthophaga_ (8 sp.),

Columbia to Arctic America; _Helmintherus_ (2 sp.), Central America to

Eastern States; _Perissoglossa_ (1 sp.), Antilles and Eastern States;

_Dendroeca_ (33 sp.), Amazon to Antilles, and Arctic America, and south to

Chili; _Oporornis_ (2 sp.), Guatemala to Eastern States; _Geothlypis_ (11

sp.), all North America and Brazil; _Myiodioctes_ (5 sp.), all North

America and Columbia; _Basileuterus_ (22 sp.), Bolivia and Brazil to

Mexico; _Setophaga_ (15 sp.), Brazil to Canada; _Ergaticus_ (2 sp.),

Guatemala and Mexico; _Cardellina_ (1 sp.), Guatemala and Mexico; (1440)

_Granatellus_ (3 sp.), Amazon to Mexico; (1441) _Teretristis_ (2 sp.),

Cuba; (1439) _Icteria_ (2 sp.), Costa Rica and United States to Canada.

FAMILY 28.--VIREONIDÆ. (7 Genera, 63 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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(Messrs. Sclater and Salvin are followed for the Neotropical genera;

Professor Baird and Mr. Allen for those of the Nearctic region.)

{280}The Vireonidæ, or Greenlets, are a family of small fly-catching birds

wholly restricted to the American continent, where they range from Paraguay

to Canada. They are allied to the Mniotiltidæ and perhaps also to the

Australian Pachycephalidæ. Only two of the genera, with about a dozen

species, inhabit the Nearctic region. The distribution of the genera is as

follows:--

_Vireosylvia_ (13 sp.), Venezuela to Mexico, the Antilles, the Eastern

States and Canada; _Vireo_ (14 sp.), Central America and the Antilles to

Canada; _Neochloe_ (1 sp.), Mexico; _Hylophilus_ (20 sp.), Brazil to

Mexico; _Laletes_ (1 sp.), Jamaica; _Vireolanius_ (5 sp.), Amazonia to

Mexico; _Cychlorhis_ (9 sp.), Paraguay to Mexico.

FAMILY 29.--AMPELIDÆ. (4 Genera, 9 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Ampelidæ, represented in Europe by the waxwing, are a small family,

characteristic of the Nearctic and Palæarctic regions, but extending

southward to Costa Rica and the West Indian islands. The genera are

distributed as follows:--

(1539) _Ampelis_ (3 sp.), the Palæarctic and Nearctic regions, and

southward to Guatemala; (1360) _Ptilogonys_ (2 sp.), Central America;

(1442) _Dulus_ (2 sp.), West Indian Islands; (1361) _Phænopepla_ (1 sp.),

Mexico and the Gila Valley.

FAMILY 30.--HIRUNDINIDÆ. (9 Genera, 91 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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{281}The Hirundinidæ, or Swallows, are true cosmopolites. Although they do

not range quite so far north (except as stragglers) as a few of the extreme

polar birds, yet they pass beyond the Arctic Circle both in America and

Europe, _Cotyle riparia_ having been observed in the Parry Islands, while

_Hirundo rustica_ has been seen both in Spitzbergen and Nova Zembla.

_Cotyle riparia_ and _Chelidon urbica_ also breed in great numbers in

northern Lapland, latitude 67° to 70° north. Many of the species also, have

an enormous range, the common swallow (_Hirundo rustica_) inhabiting

Europe, Asia and Africa, from Lapland to the Cape of Good Hope and to the

Moluccas. The genera of swallows are not well determined, a number having

been established of which the value is uncertain. I admit the following,

referring by numbers to the _Hand List_:--

(215-221 226-228) _Hirundo_ (40 sp.), the range of the entire family; (222

223) _Psalidoprogne_ (10 sp.), Tropical and South Africa; (224) _Phedina_

(1 sp.), Madagascar and Mascarene Islands; (225) _Petrochelidon_ (5 sp.),

North and South America and Cape of Good Hope; (220-232 ?234) _Atticora_ (8

sp.), the Neotropical region and ? Australia; (235 237) _Cotyle_ (11 sp.),

Europe, India, Africa, North America, Antilles and Ecuador; (236)

_Stelgidopteryx_ (5 sp.), La Plata to United States; (238 and 239)

_Chelidon_ (6 sp.), Palæarctic region, Nepal, Borneo; (240-242) _Progne_ (5

sp.), all North and South America.

FAMILY 31.--ICTERIDÆ. (24 Genera, 110 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Icteridæ, or American hang-nests, range over the whole continent, from

Patagonia and the Falkland Islands to the Arctic Circle. Only about 20

species inhabit the Nearctic region, while, as usual with exclusively

American families, the larger proportion of the genera and species are

found in the {282}tropical parts of South America. The genera adopted by

Messrs. Sclater and Salvin are the following:--

_Clypeicterus_ (1 sp.), Upper Amazon; _Ocycalus_ (2 sp.), Upper Amazon to

Mexico; _Ostinops_ (8 sp.), Brazil and Bolivia to Mexico; _Cassiculus_ (1

sp.), Mexico; _Cassicus_ (10 sp.), South Brazil and Bolivia to Costa Rica;

_Icterus_ (34 sp.), La Plata to the Antilles and United States;

_Dolichonyx_ (1 sp.), Paraguay to Canada; _Molothrus_ (8 sp.), La Plata to

Northern United States; _Agelæus_ (7 sp.), La Plata and Chili to Northern

United States; _Xanthocephalus_ (1 sp.), Mexico to California and Canada;

_Xanthosomus_ (4 sp.), La Plata to Venezuela; _Amblyrhamphus_ (1 sp.), La

Plata and Bolivia; _Gymnomystax_ (1 sp.), Amazonia and Guiana;

_Pseudoleistes_ (2 sp.), La Plata and Brazil; _Leistes_ (3 sp.), La Plata

to Venezuela; _Sturnella_ (5 sp.), Patagonia and Falkland Islands to Middle

United States; _Curæus_ (1 sp.), Chili; _Nesopsar_ (1 sp.), Jamaica;

_Scolecophgaus_ (2 sp.), Mexico to Arctic Circle; _Lampropsar_ (4 sp.),

Amazonia and Ecuador to Mexico; _Quiscalus_ (10 sp.), Venezuela and

Columbia to South and Central United States; _Hypopyrrhus_ (1 sp.),

Columbia; _Aphobus_ (1 sp.), Brazil and Bolivia; _Cassidix_ (2 sp.), Brazil

to Mexico and Cuba.

FAMILY 32.--TANAGRIDÆ. (43 Genera, 304 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Tanagers are an extensive family of varied and beautiful fruit-eating

birds, almost peculiar to the Neotropical region, only four species of a

single genus (_Pyranga_) extending into the Eastern United States and Rocky

Mountains. Southward they range to La Plata. They are especially abundant

in the forest regions of South America east of the Andes, where no less

than 40 out of the 43 genera occur; 23 of the genera are peculiar to this

sub-region, while only 1 (_Phlogothraupis_) is {283}peculiar to Central

America and Mexico, and 2 (_Spindalis_ and _Phænicophilus_) to the West

Indian islands. The genera adopted by Messrs. Sclater and Salvin with their

distribution will be found at Vol. II., p. 99, in our account of

Neotropical Zoology.

FAMILY 33.--FRINGILLIDÆ. (74 Genera, 509 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The great family of the Fringillidæ, or finches, is in a very unsettled

state as regards their division into genera, the most divergent views being

held by ornithologists as to the constitution and affinities of many of the

groups. All the Australian finch-like birds appear to belong to the

Ploceidæ, so that the finches, as here constituted, are found in every

region and sub-region, except the Australian region from which they are

entirely absent--a peculiar distribution hardly to be found in any other

family of birds.

Many European ornithologists separate the Emberizidæ, or buntings, as a

distinct family, but as the American genera have not been so divided I am

obliged to keep them together; but the genera usually classed as "buntings"

are placed last, as a sub-family. In the following arrangement of the

genera, I have done what I could to harmonize the views of the best modern

writers. For convenience of reference the succession of the genera is that

of the _Hand List_, and the numbers of the sub-genera are given whenever

practicable:--

(1793 1795) _Fringilla_ (6 sp.), the whole Palæarctic region, including the

Atlantic Islands; (1794) _Acanthis_ (3 sp.), Europe to Siberia, Persia, and

North-West Himalayas; (1796) _Procarduelis_ (1 sp.), High Himalayas and

East Thibet; (1797-1803) _Chrysomitris_ (18 sp.), Neotropical and Nearctic

regions, Europe, and Siberia; (1804) _Metoponia_ (1 sp.), East Europe to

North West Himalayas; (1805 and 1809) _Chlorospiza_ (9 sp.), Palæarctic

region and Africa to the {284}Cape of Good Hope; (1806-1809) _Dryospiza_

(14 sp.), South Europe, Palestine, Canaries, and all Africa; (1810)

_Sycalis_ (18 sp.), the whole Neotropical region; (1811-1813 1816-1819)

_Pyrgita_ (34 sp.), Palæarctic and Oriental regions, and all Africa; (1814)

_Montifringilla_ (4 sp.), Palæarctic region; (1815) _Fringillauda_ (2 sp.),

North-West Himalayas to East Thibet; (1820-1822) _Coccothraustes_ (6 sp.),

Palæarctic region and Nepal, Nearctic region to Mexico; (1823) _Eophona_ (2

sp.), China and Japan; (1824) _Mycerobas_ (2 sp.), Central Asia to Persia,

High Himalayas, and East Thibet; (1825) _Chaunoproctus_ (1 sp.), Bonin

Islands, south-east of Japan, (probably Palæarctic); (1826) _Geospiza_ (7

sp.), Galapagos Islands; (1827) _Camarhynchus_ (5 sp.), Galapagos Islands;

(1828) _Cactornis_ (4 sp.), Galapagos Islands; (1830-1832) _Phrygilus_ (10

sp.), Columbia to Fuegia and the Falkland Islands; (1833) _Xenospingus_ (1

sp.), Peru; (1834) _Diuca_ (3 sp.), Peru to Chili and Patagonia; (1835 and

1837) _Emberizoides_ (3 sp.), Venezuela to Paraguay; (1836) _Donacospiza_

(1 sp.), South Brazil and La Plata; (1839) _Chamæospiza_ (1 sp.), Mexico;

(1838 and 1840) _Embernagra_ (9 sp.), Arizona to La Plata; (1841)

_Hæmophila_ (6 sp.), Mexico to Costa Rica; (1842) _Atlapetes_ (1 sp.),

Mexico; (1843) _Pyrgisoma_ (5 sp.). Mexico to Costa Rica; (1844 and 1845)

_Pipilo_ (12 sp.), all North America to Guatemala; (1846) _Junco_ (6 sp.),

all the United States to Guatemala; (1847) _Zonotrichia_ (9 sp.), the whole

Nearctic and Neotropical regions; (1848 1849) _Melospiza_ (7 sp.), Sitka

and United States to Guatemala; (1850) _Spizella_ (7 sp.), Canada to

Guatemala; (1851) _Passerella_ (4 sp.), the Nearctic region and Northern

Asia; (1852) _Passerculus_ (6 sp.), Nearctic region and to Guatemala;

(1853) _Pooecetes_ (1 sp.), all United States and Mexico; (1854)

_Ammodromus_ (4 sp.), all United States to Guatemala; (1855) _Coturniculus_

(6 sp.), north and east of North America to Jamaica and Bolivia; (1856)

_Peucæa_ (6 sp.), South Atlantic States and California to Mexico; (1857)

_Tiaris_ (1 sp.), Brazil; (1858) _Volatinia_ (1 sp.), Mexico to Brazil and

Bolivia; (1859) _Cyanospiza_ (5 sp.), Canada to Guatemala; (1860 1861)

_Paroaria_ (6 sp.), Tropical South America, east of the Andes; (1862)

_Coryphospingus_ (4 sp.), Tropical South America; (1863) _Haplospiza_ (2

sp.), Mexico and Brazil; (1864 1891) _Phonipara_ (8 sp.), Mexico to

Columbia, the greater Antilles; (1865) _Poospiza_ {285}(13 sp.), California

and South Central States to Bolivia and La Plata; (424) _Spodiornis_ (1

sp.), Andes of Quito; (1866 1867) _Pyrrhula_ (9 sp.), the whole Palæarctic

region to the Azores and High Himalayas; (1868) _Crithagra_ (17 sp.),

Tropical and South Africa, Mauritius, Syria; (1869) _Ligurnus_ (2 sp.),

West Africa; (1870 1871) _Carpodacus_ (18 sp.), Nearctic and Palæarctic

regions to Mexico and Central India; (1872-1874) _Erythrospiza_ (6 sp.),

Southern parts of Palæarctic region; (1875) _Uragus_ (2 sp.), Siberia and

Japan; (1876) _Cardinalis_ (2 sp.), South and Central States to Venezuela;

(1877) _Pyrrhuloxia_ (1 sp.), Texas and Rio Grande; (1878 1879) _Guiraca_

(6 sp.), Southern United States to La Plata; (1880) _Amaurospiza_ (2 sp.),

Costa Rica and Brazil; (1881) _Hedymeles_ (2 sp.), all United States to

Columbia; (1882) _Pheucticus_ (5 sp.), Mexico to Peru and Bolivia; (1883)

_Oryzoborus_ (6 sp.), Mexico to Ecuador and South Brazil; (1884)

_Melopyrrha_ (1 sp.), Cuba; (1885) _Loxigilla_ (4 sp.), Antilles; (1886

1887) _Spermophila_ (44 sp.), Texas to Bolivia and Uruguay; (1888)

_Catamenia_ (4 sp.), Columbia to Bolivia; (1889) _Neorhynchus_ (3 sp.),

West Peru; (1892) _Catamblyrhyncus_ (1 sp.), Columbia; (1893) _Loxia_ (7

sp.), Europe to North-west India and Japan, Arctic America to Pennsylvania,

Mexico; (1894) _Pinicola_ (3 sp.), Arctic America, North-east Europe to the

Amoor, Camaroons Mountains West Africa; (1895) _Propyrrhula_ (1 sp.),

Darjeeling in the winter,? Thibet; (1896) _Pyrrhospiza_ (1 sp.), Snowy

Himalayas; (1897) _Hæmatospiza_ (1 sp.), South-east Himalayas, 5,000-10,000

feet; (1898 1899) _Linota_ (12 sp.), Europe to Central Asia, north and east

of North America; (1900) _Leucosticte_ (7 sp.), Siberia and Thibet to

Kamschatka, and from Alaska to Utah.

Sub-family Emberizinæ.--(1995) _Calamospiza_ (1 sp.), Arizona and Texas to

Mexico; (1906) _Chondestes_ (2 sp.), Western, Central, and Southern States

to Mexico and Nicaragua; (1907-1910) _Euspiza_ (9 sp.), Palæarctic region,

India, Burmah, and South China, South-east United States to Columbia;

(1911-1920) _Emberiza_ (28 sp.), the whole Palæarctic region (continental),

to Central India in winter; (1921) _Gubernatrix_ (1 sp.), Paraguay and La

Plata, (according to Messrs. Sclater and Salvin this comes next to

_Pipilo_); (1922) _Fringillaria_ (8 sp.), Africa and South Europe;

{286}(1923-1925) _Plectrophanes_ (6 sp.), Arctic Zone to Northern Europe

and North China, Arctic America, and east side of Rocky Mountains; (1926)

_Centronyx_ (1 sp.), Mouth of Yellowstone River.

FAMILY 34.--PLOCEIDÆ. (29 Genera, 252 species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Ploceidæ, or Weaver-finches, are especially characteristic of the

Ethiopian region, where most of the genera and nearly four-fifths of the

species are found; the remainder being pretty equally divided between the

Oriental and Australian regions. Like the true finches these have never

been properly studied, and it is exceedingly difficult to ascertain what

genera are natural and how far those of Australia and Africa are distinct.

The following enumeration must therefore be taken as altogether tentative

and provisional. When the genera adopted differ from those of the _Hand

List_ they will be referred to by numbers.

_Textor_ (5 sp.), Tropical and South Africa; (1650-1654 1657)

_Hyphantornis_ (32 sp.), Tropical and South Africa; (1655 1656)

_Symplectes_ (8 sp.), Tropical and South Africa; _Malimbus_ (9 sp.), West

Africa; (1659 1661) _Ploceus_ (6 sp.), West and East Africa, the Oriental

region (excluding Philippines); (1660) _Nelicurvius_ (1 sp.), Madagascar;

_Foudia_ (12 sp.), Madagascar and Mascarene Islands, Tropical Africa; (1663

1664) _Sporopipes_ (2 sp.), Tropical and South Africa; (1665-1667)

_Pyromelana_ (14 sp.), Tropical and South Africa, Abyssinia to 10,500 feet;

_Philetærus_ (1 sp.), South Africa; _Nigrita_ (7 sp.), West Africa to Upper

Nile; _Plocepasser_ (4 sp.), East and South Africa; (1672-1674) _Vidua_ (7

sp.), Tropical and South Africa (Plate V., Vol. I., p. 264); (1675-1677)

_Coliuspasser_ (9 sp.), Tropical and South Africa; _Chera_ (1 sp.), South

Africa; _Spermospiza_ (2 sp.), West Africa; _Pyrenestes_ (6 sp.), Tropical

and South Africa; (1682-1687 1689 1692 1693 1698) _Estrilda_ (26 sp.),

Tropical and South Africa, India, Burmah, and Java to Australia; (1688 1690

1691 1695 1696) {287}_Pytelia_ (24 sp.), Tropical and South Africa; (1694)

_Hypargos_ (2 sp.), Mozambique and Madagascar; (1697) _Emblema_ (1 sp.),

North-west Australia (1699 1712-1717) _Amadina_ (15 sp.), Tropical and

South Africa, Moluccas to Australia and the Samoa Islands; (1700 1701 1710)

_Spermestes_ (8 sp.), Tropical Africa and Madagascar; (1702) _Amauresthes_

(1 sp.), East and West Africa; (1703 1707-1709 1711) _Munia_ (30 sp.),

Oriental region to Timor and New Guinea; (1704) _Donacola_ (3 sp.),

Australia; (1705 1706) _Poephila_ (6 sp.), Australia; (1718-1721)

_Erythrura_ (7 sp.), Sumatra to Java, Moluccas, Timor, New Guinea, and Fiji

Islands; (1722) _Hypochera_ (3 sp.), Tropical and South Africa.

FAMILY 35.--STURNIDÆ. (29 Genera, 124 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Sturnidæ or Starlings, are a highly characteristic Old-World group,

extending to every part of the great Eastern continent and its islands, and

over the Pacific Ocean to the Samoa Islands and New Zealand, yet wholly

absent from the mainland of Australia. The family appears to be tolerably

well-defined, and the following genera are generally considered to belong

to it: (1558 1559 1562) _Eulabes_ (13 sp.), the Oriental region to

South-west China, Hainan, and Java,--and Flores, New Guinea and the Solomon

Islands in the Australian region; _Ampeliceps_ (1 sp.), _Tenasserim_,

Burmah, and Cochin China; _Gymnops_ (1 sp.), Philippine Islands;

_Basilornis_ (2 sp.), Celebes and Ceram; _Pastor_ (1 sp.), South-east

Europe to India, Ceylon, and Burmah; _Acridotheres_ (7 sp.), the whole

Oriental region and Celebes; (1568 1569) _Sturnia_ (12 sp.), the whole

Oriental region, North China, Japan, and Siberia, Celebes; _Dilophus_ (1

sp.), South Africa; _Sturnus_ (6 sp.), Palæarctic region, to India and

South China in winter; _Sturnopastor_ (4 sp.), India to Burmah and East

Java; _Creadion_ (2 sp.), New Zealand; _Heterolocha_ (1 sp.), New Zealand;

(1520) _Callæas_ {288}(2 sp.), New Zealand; _Buphaga_ (2 sp.), Tropical and

South Africa; _Euryceros_ (1 sp.), Madagascar (see Plate VI., Vol. I., p.

278.) This genus and the last should perhaps form distinct families. (1577)

_Juida_ (5 sp.), Central, West, and South Africa; (1578) _Lamprocolius_ (20

sp.), Tropical and South Africa; _Cinnyricinclus_ (2 sp.), Tropical and

South Africa; _Onychognathus_ (2 sp.), West Africa; (1581) _Spreo_ (4 sp.),

Tropical and South Africa; (1582-1585) _Amydrus_ (7 sp.), South and East

Africa, Palestine; _Aplonis_ (9 sp.), New Caledonia to the Tonga Islands;

(1587-1589) _Calornis_ (18 sp.), the whole Malay Archipelago and eastward

to the Ladrone and Samoa Islands; (1590) _Enodes_ (1 sp.), Celebes;

_Scissirostrum_ (1 sp.), Celebes; (1592) _Saroglossa_ (1 sp.), Himalayas;

(1593) _Hartlaubius_ (1 sp), Madagascar; _Fregilupus_ (1 sp.), Bourbon, but

it has recently become extinct; (363) _Falculia_ (1 sp)., Madagascar.

FAMILY 36.--ARTAMIDÆ. (1 Genus, 17 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Artamidæ, or Swallow-shrikes, are a curious group of birds, ranging

over the greater part of the Oriental and Australian regions as far east as

the Fiji Islands and south to Tasmania. Only a single species inhabits

India, and they are more plentiful in Australia than in any other locality.

The only well-marked genus is _Artamus_.

There are a few Madagascar birds belonging to the genus _Artamia_, which

some ornithologists place in this family, others with the Laniidæ, but

which are here classed with the Oriolidæ.

{289}FAMILY 37.--ALAUDIDÆ. (15 Genera, 110 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Alaudidæ, or Larks, may be considered as exclusively belonging to the

great Eastern continent, since the Nearctic, Neotropical, and Australian

regions have each only a single species. They abound most in the open

plains and deserts of Africa and Asia, and are especially numerous in South

Africa. The genera, including those recently established by Mr. Sharpe, are

as follows:--

_Otocorys_ (8 sp.); the Palæarctic region, North America and south to the

Andes of Columbia, North India; (1928 1929) _Alauda_ (17 sp.), Palæarctic

region, all Africa, the Peninsula of India, and Ceylon; (1931) _Galerita_

(10 sp.), Central Europe to Senegal and Abyssinia, Persia, India and North

China; (1932) _Calendula_ (2 sp.), Abyssinia and South Africa; (1933 1934)

_Calandrella_ (6 sp.), Europe, North Africa, India, Burmah, North China,

and Mongolia; (1935-1937) _Melanocorypha_ (7 sp.), South Europe to Tartary,

Abyssinia, and North-west India; _Pallasia_ (sp. 7781), East Asia; (1938)

_Certhilauda_ (4 sp.), South Europe, South Africa; _Heterocorys_ (sp. 7792)

South Africa; (1939) _Alæmon_ (3 sp.), South-east Europe to Western India,

and South Africa; (1940) _Mirafra_ (25 sp.), the Oriental and Ethiopian

regions to Australia; (1941) _Ammomanes_ (10 sp.), South Europe to

Palestine and Central India, and to Cape Verd Islands and South Africa;

(1942 1943) _Megalophonus_ (6 sp.), Tropical and South Africa;

_Tephrocorys_ (1 sp.), South Africa; _Pyrrhulauda_ (9 sp.), all Africa,

Canary Islands, India and Ceylon.

{290}FAMILY 38.--MOTACILLIDÆ. (9 Genera, 80 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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| | | | |

The Motacillidæ, or Wagtails and Pipits, are universally distributed, but

are most abundant in the Palæarctic, Ethiopian, and Oriental regions, to

which the true wagtails are almost confined. The following genera are

usually adopted, but some of them are not very well defined:--

_Motacilla_ (15 sp.), ranges over the greater part of Europe, Asia, and

Africa, and to Alaska in North-west America; _Budytes_ (10 sp.), Europe,

Africa, Asia to Philippines, Moluccas, Timor, and North Australia;

_Calobates_ (3 sp.), South Palæarctic and Oriental regions to Java;

_Nemoricola_ (1 sp.), Oriental region; _Anthus_ (30 sp.), all the great

continents; _Neocorys_ (1 sp.), Central North America; _Corydalla_ (14

sp.), South Europe to India, China, the Malay Islands, Australia, New

Zealand and the Auckland Islands: _Macronyx_ (5 sp.), Tropical and South

Africa; _Heterura_ (1 sp.), Himalayas.

FAMILY 39.--TYRANNIDÆ. (71 Genera, 329 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Tyrannidæ, or Tyrant Shrikes, form one of the most extensive and truly

characteristic American families of birds; as they extend over the whole

continent from Patagonia to the Arctic regions, and are found also in all

the chief American islands--the Antilles, the Galapagos, the Falkland

Islands, and {291}Juan Fernandez. As the genera are all enumerated in the

table, at p. 101 of this volume, I shall here confine myself to the

distribution of the sub-families, only referring to such genera as are of

special geographical interest.

Sub-family I. CONOPHAGINÆ (2 genera, 13 species). Confined to tropical

South America, from Brazil and Bolivia to Guiana and Columbia.

Sub-family II. TÆNIOPTERINÆ (19 genera, 76 species). This group ranges from

Patagonia and the Falkland Islands to the northern United States; yet it is

almost wholly South American, only 2 genera and 4 species passing north of

Panama, and none inhabiting the West Indian islands. _Empidias_ has 3

species in North America, while _Tænioptera_, _Cnipolegus_,

_Muscisaxicola_, and _Centrites_, range south to Patagonia.

Sub-family III. PLATYRHYNICHINÆ (16 genera, 60 species). This sub-family is

wholly Neotropical and mostly South American, only 7 of the genera passing

Panama and but 3 reaching Mexico, while there are none in the West Indian

islands. Only 3 genera extend south to the temperate sub-region, and one of

these, _Anæretes_, has a species in Juan Fernandez.

Sub-family IV. ELAINEINÆ (17 genera, 91 species). This sub-family is more

exclusively tropical, only two genera extending south as far as Chili and

La Plata, while none enter the Nearctic region. No less than 10 of the

genera pass north of Panama, and one of these, _Elainea_, which ranges from

Chili to Costa Rica has several species in the West Indian islands. About

one fourth of the species of this sub-family are found north of Panama.

Sub-family V. TYRANNINÆ (17 genera, 89 species). This sub-family is that

which is best represented in the Nearctic region, where 6 genera and 24

species occur. _Milvulus_ reaches Texas; _Tyrannus_ and _Myiarchus_ range

over all the United States; _Sayornis_, the Eastern States and California;

_Contopus_ extends to Canada; _Empidonax_ ranges all over North America;

and _Pyrocephalus_ reaches the Gila Valley as well as the Galapagos

Islands. No less than 5 genera of this sub-family occur in the West Indian

islands.

{292}FAMILY 39_a_.--OXYRHAMPHIDÆ. (1 Genus, 2 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The genus _Oxyrhamphus_ (2 sp.) which ranges from Brazil to Costa Rica, has

usually been placed in the Dendrocolaptidæ; but Messrs Sclater and Salvin

consider it to be the type of a distinct family group, most allied to the

Tyrannidæ.

FAMILY 40.--PIPRIDÆ. (15 Genera, 60 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Pipridæ, or Manakins, have generally been associated with the next

family, and they have a very similar distribution. The great majority of

the genera and species are found in the equatorial regions of South

America, only 9 species belonging to 5 genera ranging north of Panama,

while 2 or 3 species extend to the southern limit of the tropical forests

in Paraguay and Brazil. The genera which go north of Panama are _Piprites_,

_Pipra_, _Chiroxiphia_, _Chiromachæris_, and _Hetoropelma_. _Pipra_ is the

largest genus, containing 19 species, and having representatives throughout

the whole range of the family. As in all the more extensive families

peculiar to the Neotropical region, the distribution of the genera will be

found in the tables appended to the chapter on the Neotropical region in

the Third Part of this work. (Vol. II. p. 103).

{293}FAMILY 41.--COTINGIDÆ. (28 Genera, 93 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Cotingidæ, or Chatterers, comprise some of the most beautiful and some

of the most remarkable of American birds, for such we must consider the

azure and purple Cotingas, the wine-coloured white-winged Pompadour, the

snowy carunculated Bell-birds, the orange-coloured Cocks-of-the-Rock, and

the marvellously-plumed Umbrella-birds, (Plate XV. Vol. II. p. 28). The

Cotingidæ are also one of the most pre-eminently Neotropical of all the

Neotropical families, the great mass of the genera and species being

concentrated in and around the vast equatorial forest region of the Amazon.

Only 13 species extend north of Panama, one to the Antilles, and not more

than 20 are found to the south of the Amazon Valley. Messrs. Sclater and

Salvin divide the family into six sub-families, the distribution of which

will be briefly indicated.

Sub-family I. TITYRINÆ (3 genera, 22 species). Ranges from Brazil to

Mexico, one species of _Hadrostomus_ inhabiting Jamaica.

Sub-family II. LIPAUGINÆ (4 genera, 14 species) also ranges from Brazil to

Mexico; one genus (_Ptilochloris_) is confined to Brazil.

Sub-family III. ATTALINÆ (2 genera, 10 species). Ranges from Paraguay to

Costa Rica; one genus (_Casiornis_) is confined to South Brazil and

Paraguay.

Sub-family IV. RUPICOLINÆ (2 genera, 5 species). This sub-family is

restricted to the Amazonian region and Guiana, with one species extending

along the Andean valleys to Bolivia. The genera are _Rupicola_ (3 species)

and _Phænicocercus_ (2 species).

Sub-family V. COTINGINÆ (10 genera, 28 species). Ranges from Southern

Brazil and Bolivia to Nicaragua; only two species {294}(belonging to the

genera _Carpodectes_ and _Cotinga_) are found north of Panama, and there

are none in the West Indian islands. The great majority of these, the true

Chatterers, are from the regions about the Equator.

Sub-family VI. GYMNODERINÆ (7 genera, 14 species). Ranges from Brazil to

Costa Rica; two species, of the genera _Chasmorhynchus_ and

_Cephalopterus_, are found north of Panama, while there are none in the

West Indian islands. Only 2 species are found south of the Amazon valley.

FAMILY 42.--PHYTOTOMIDÆ. (1 Genus, 3 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Phytotomidæ, or Plant-cutters, are singular thick-billed birds,

strictly confined to the temperate regions of South America. The single

genus, _Phytotoma_, is found in Chili, La Plata, and Bolivia. Their

affinities are uncertain, but they are believed to be allied to the series

of families with which they are here associated. (Plate XVI. Vol. II. p.

128).

FAMILY 43.--EURYLÆMIDÆ. (6 Genera, 9 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Eurylæmidæ, or Broad-bills, form a very small family of birds, often

adorned with striking colours, and which have their nearest allies in the

South American Cotingidæ. They have a very limited distribution, from the

lower slopes of the Himalayas through Burmah and Siam, to Sumatra, Borneo,

and Java. They are evidently the remains of a once extensive group, and

from the small number of specific forms remaining, seem to be on {295}the

road to extinction. Thus we may understand their isolated geographical

position. The following are the names and distribution of the genera:--

_Eurylæmus_ (2 species), Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo;

_Corydon_ (1 species), Malacca, Sumatra and Borneo (Plate IX. Vol. I. p.

339); _Psarisomus_ (1 species), Himalayas to Burmah, up to 6,000 feet;

_Serilophus_ (2 species), Nepal to Tenasserim; _Cymbirhynchus_ (2 species),

Siam to Sumatra and Borneo; _Calyptomena_ (1 species), Penang to Sumatra

and Borneo.

FAMILY 44.--DENDROCOLAPTIDÆ. (43 Genera, 217 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Dendrocolaptidæ, or American Creepers, are curious brown-coloured birds

with more or less rigid tail feathers, strictly confined to the continental

Neotropical region, and very numerous in its south-temperate extremity.

They are divided by Messrs. Sclater and Salvin into five sub-families, to

which I shall confine my remarks on their distribution. The details of the

numerous genera, being only interesting to specialists, will be given in

the table of genera of the Neotropical region. No less than 13 of the

genera are confined to South-Temperate America and the High Andes; 14 are

restricted to Tropical South America, while not one is peculiar to Tropical

North America, and only 15 of the 43 genera extend into that sub-region,

showing that this is one of the pre-eminently South American groups.

Sub-family I. FURNARIINÆ (8 genera, 30 species). Ranges over all South

America, 4 genera and 18 species being restricted to the temperate

sub-region; one species is found in the Falkland Islands.

Sub-family II. SCLERURINÆ (1 genus, 6 species). Brazil to Guiana, Columbia,

and north to Mexico.

Sub-family III. SYNALLAXINÆ (12 genera, 78 species). Ranges from Patagonia

to Mexico; 7 genera and 28 species are confined {296}to the temperate

sub-region; species occur in the islands of Mas-a-fuera, Trinidad, and

Tobago.

Sub-family IV. PHILYDORINÆ (6 genera, 35 species). Confined to Tropical

America from Brazil to Mexico; 4 genera and 8 species occur in Tropical

North America.

Sub-family V. DENDROCOLAPTINÆ (14 genera, 59 species). Ranges from Chili

and La Plata to Mexico; only 3 species occur in the South Temperate

sub-region, while 9 of the genera extend into Tropical North America. Two

of the continental species occur in the island of Tobago, which, together

with Trinidad, forms part of the South American rather than of the true

Antillean sub-region.

FAMILY 45.--FORMICARIIDÆ. (32 Genera, 211 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Formicariidæ, comprising the Bush-Shrikes and Ant-thrushes, form one of

the most exclusively Neotropical families; and the numerous species are

rigidly confined to the warm and wooded districts, only a single species

extending to La Plata, and none to the Antilles or to the Nearctic region.

Less than 30 species are found north of Panama. Messrs. Sclater and Salvin

divide the group into three sub-families, whose distribution may be

conveniently treated, as in the Dendrocolaptidæ, without enumerating the

genera.

Sub-family I. THAMNOPHILINÆ.--(10 genera, 70 species.) One species of

_Thamnophilus_ inhabits La Plata; only 3 genera and 12 species are found

north of Panama, the species of this sub-family being especially abundant

in the Equatorial forest districts.

Sub-family II. FORMICIVORINÆ.--(14 genera, 95 species.) Only 8 species

occur north of Panama, and less than one-third of the species belong to the

districts south of the Equator.

{297}Sub-family III. FORMICARIINÆ.--(8 genera, 46 species.) About 12

species occur north of Panama, and only 5 south of the Equatorial district.

It appears, therefore, that this extensive family is especially

characteristic of that part of South America from the Amazon valley

northwards.

FAMILY 46.--PTEROPTOCHIDÆ. (8 Genera, 19 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Pteroptochidæ are a group of curious Wren-like birds, almost confined

to the temperate regions of South America, extending along the Andes beyond

the Equator, and with a few species in South-east Brazil, and one in the

valley of the Madeira. The genera are as follows:--

_Scytalopus_ (8 sp.), Chili and West Patagonia to the Andes of Columbia;

_Merulaxis_ (1 sp.), South-east Brazil; _Rhinocrypta_ (2 sp.), Northern

Patagonia and La Plata; _Lioscelis_ (1 sp.), Madeira valley; _Pteroptochus_

(2 sp.), Chili; _Hylactes_ (3 sp.), Western Patagonia and Chili;

_Acropternis_ (1 sp.), Andes of Ecuador and Columbia; _Triptorhinus_ (1

sp.), Chili.

FAMILY 47.--PITTIDÆ. (4 Genera, 40 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Pittas comprise a number of beautifully-coloured Thrush-like birds,

which, although confined to the Old World, are more nearly allied to the

South American Pteroptochidæ than to any other family. They are most

abundant in the Malay Archipelago, {298}between the Oriental and Australian

divisions of which they are pretty equally divided. They seem, however, to

attain their maximum of beauty and variety in the large islands of Borneo

and Sumatra; from whence they diminish in numbers in every direction till

we find single species only in North China, West Africa, and Australia, The

genera here adopted are the following:--

(1087 1088 1090 1092 1093) _Pitta_ (33 sp.), has the range of the family;

(1089) _Hydrornis_ (3 sp.), Himalayas and Malaya; _Eucichla_ (3 sp.),

Malaya; _Melampitta_ (1 sp.), recently discovered in New Guinea.

FAMILY 48.--PAICTIDÆ. (1 Genus, 2 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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This family was established by Professor Sundevall, for an anomalous bird

of Madagascar, which he believes to have some affinity for the American

Formicariidæ, but which perhaps comes best near the Pittas. The only genus

is _Philepitta_, containing two species.

FAMILY 49.--MENURIDÆ. (1 Genus, 2 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Menuridæ, or Lyre Birds, remarkable for the extreme elegance of the

lyre-shaped tail in the species first discovered, are birds of a very

anomalous structure, and have no near affinity to any other family. Two

species of _Menura_ are known, confined to South and East Australia (Plate

XII. Vol. I. p. 441).

{299}FAMILY 50.--ATRICHIIDÆ. (1 Genus, 2 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The genus _Atrichia_, or Scrub-birds of Australia, have been formed into a

separate family by Professor Newton, on account of peculiarities in the

skeleton which separate them from all other Passeres. Only two species are

known, inhabiting East and West Australia respectively. They are very

noisy, brown-coloured birds, and have been usually classed with the

warblers, near _Amytis_ and other Australian species.

_General remarks on the distribution of the Passeres._

The order Passeres, is the most extensive among birds, comprehending about

5,700 species grouped in 870 genera, and 51 families. The distribution of

the genera, and of the families considered individually, has been already

sufficiently given, and we now have to consider the peculiarities of

distribution of the families collectively, and in their relations to each

other, as representing well-marked types of bird-structure. The first thing

to be noted is, how very few of these families are truly cosmopolitan; for

although there are seven which are found in each of the great regions, yet

few of these are widely distributed throughout all the regions, and we can

only find three that inhabit every sub-region, and are distributed with

tolerable uniformity; these are the Hirundinidæ, or swallows, the

Motacillidæ or wagtails and pipits, and the Corvidæ or crows,--but the

latter is a family of so heterogeneous a nature, that it possibly contains

the materials of several natural families, and if so divided, the parts

would probably all cease to be cosmopolitan. The Sylviidæ, the

{300}Turdidæ, and the Paridæ, are the only other families that approach

universality of distribution, and all these are wanting in one or more

sub-regions. If, now, we divide the globe into the New and the Old World,

the former including the whole American continent, the latter all the rest

of the earth, we find that the Old World possesses exclusively 23 families,

the New World exclusively 14, of which 5 are common to North and South

America. But if we take the division proposed by Professor Huxley--a

northern world, comprising our first four regions (from Nearctic to

Oriental), and a southern world comprising our last two regions (the

Australian and Neotropical)--we find that the northern division possesses

only 5 families exclusively, and the southern division 13 exclusively, of

which not one is common to Australia and South America. This plainly

indicates that, as far as the Passeres are concerned, the latter bipartite

division is not so natural as the former. Again, if we compare temperate

with tropical families (not too rigidly, but as regards their general

character), we find in the northern hemisphere only two families that have

the character of being typically temperate--the Cinclidæ, and in a less

degree the Ampelidæ--both of small extent. In the southern hemisphere we

have also two, the Phytotomidæ, and in a less degree, the Pteroptochidæ;

making two wholly and two mainly temperate families. Of exclusively

tropical families on the other hand, we have about 12, and several others

that are mainly tropical.

The several regions do not differ greatly in the number of families found

in each. The Nearctic has 19, the Palæarctic 21, the Ethiopian 23, the

Oriental 28, the Australian 29, and the Neotropical 23. But many of these

families are only represented by a few species, or in limited districts;

and if we count only those families which are tolerably well represented,

and help to form the ornithological character of the region, the richness

of the several tropical regions will appear to be (as it really is)

comparatively much greater. The families that are confined to single

regions are not very numerous, except in the case of the Neotropical

region, which has 5. The Australian has only {301}3, the Oriental 1, the

Ethiopian 1, and the other regions have no peculiar families.

The distribution of the Passeres may be advantageously considered as

divided into the five series of Turdoid, Tanagroid, Sturnoid, Formicarioid,

and Anomalous Passeres. The Turdoid Passeres, consisting of the first 23

families, are especially characteristic of the Old World, none being found

exclusively in America, and only two or three being at all abundant there.

The Tanagroid Passeres (Families 24-33) are very characteristic of the New

World, five being confined to it, and three others being quite as abundant

there as in the Old World; while there is not a single exclusively Old

World family in the series, except the Drepanididæ confined to the Sandwich

Islands. The Sturnoid Passeres (Families 34-38) are all exclusively Old

World, except that two larks inhabit parts of North America, and a few

pipits South America. The Formicarioid Passeres (Families 39-48) are

strikingly characteristic of the New World, to which seven of the families

exclusively belong; the two Old World groups being small, and with a very

restricted distribution. The Anomalous Passeres (Families 49-50) are

confined to Australia.

The most remarkable feature in the geographical distribution of the

Passeres is the richness of the American continent, and the large

development of characteristic types that occurs there. The fact that

America possesses 14 altogether peculiar families, while no less than 23

Old-World families are entirely absent from it, plainly indicates, that, if

this division does not represent the most ancient and radical separation of

the land surface of the globe, it must still be one of very great

antiquity, and have modified in a very marked way the distribution of all

living things. Not less remarkable is the richness in specific forms of the

13 peculiar American families. These contain no less than 1,570 species,

leaving only about 500 American species in the 13 other Passerine families

represented in the New World. If we make a deduction for those Nearctic

species which occur only north of Panama, we may estimate the truly

Neotropical species of Passerine birds at 1,900, which is almost exactly

{302}_one-third_ of the total number of Passeres; a wonderful illustration

of the Ornithological riches of South America.

_Order II.--PICARIÆ._

FAMILY 51.--PICIDÆ. (36 Genera, 320 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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1. 2. 3. 4 |1. 2. 3. 4 |1. 2. 3. 4 |1. 2. 3 -- |1. 2. 3. 4 |1 -- -- --

| | | | |

The Woodpeckers are very widely distributed, being only absent from the

Australian region beyond Celebes and Flores. They are most abundant in the

Neotropical and Oriental regions, both of which possess a number of

peculiar genera; while the other regions possess few or no peculiar forms,

even the Ethiopian region having only three genera not found elsewhere. The

soft-tailed Picumninæ inhabit the tropical regions only, _Picumnus_ being

Neotropical, _Vivia_ and _Sasia_ Oriental, and _Verreauxia_ Ethiopian.

_Picoides_, or _Apternus_, is an Arctic form peculiar to the Nearctic and

Palæarctic regions. _Celeus_, _Chrysoptilus_, _Chloronerpes_, and some

smaller genera, are Neotropical exclusively, and there are two peculiar

forms in Cuba. _Yungipicus_, _Chrysocolaptes_, _Hemicercus_,

_Mulleripicus_, _Brachypternus_, _Tiga_, and _Micropternus_, are the most

important of the peculiar Oriental genera. _Dendropicus_ and _Geocolaptes_

are Ethiopian; but there are no woodpeckers in Madagascar. The Palæarctic

woodpeckers belong to the genera _Picus_--which is widely distributed,

_Gecinus_--which is an Oriental form, and _Dryocopus_--which is South

American. Except _Picoides_, the Nearctic woodpeckers are mostly of

Neotropical genera; but _Sphyrapicus_ and _Hylatomus_ are peculiar. The

geological record is, as yet, almost silent as to this family; but remains

doubtfully referred to it have been found in the Miocene of Europe and the

Eocene of the United States. Yet the group is evidently one of very high

antiquity, as is shown by {303}its extreme isolation, its great

specialization of structure, its abundant generic forms, and its wide

distribution. It originated, probably, in Central Asia, and passed through,

the Nearctic region to South America, in whose rich and varied forests it

found the conditions for rapid development, and for the specialization of

the many generic forms now found there.

A large number of genera have been established by various authors, but

their limitations and affinities are not very well made out. Those which

seem best established are the following:--

(2107-2112) _Picumnus_ (22 sp.). Tropical South America to Honduras; (2113)

_Vivia_ (1 sp.), Himalayas to East Thibet; (2114) _Sasia_ (2 sp.), Nepal to

Java; (2115) _Verreauxia_ (1 sp.), West Africa; _Picoides_ (5 sp.),

northern parts of Nearctic and Palæarctic regions, and Mountains of East

Thibet; _Picus_ (42 sp.), the whole Palæarctic, Oriental, Nearctic, and

Neotropical regions; (2123) _Hyopicus_ (2 sp.), Himalayas and North China;

(2124) _Yungipicus_ (16 sp.), Oriental region, and to Flores, Celebes,

North China, and Japan; (2127-2129) _Sphyrapicus_ (7 sp.), Nearctic region,

Mexico, and Bolivia; (2130-2133 2139) _Campephilus_ (14 sp.), Neotropical

and Nearctic regions; _Hylatomus_ (1 sp.), Nearctic region; (2137 2140)

_Dryocopus_ (5 sp.), Mexico to South Brazil, Central and Northern Europe;

(2134) _Reinwardtipicus_ (1 sp.), Penang to Borneo; (2135 2136) _Venilia_

(2 sp.), Nepal to Borneo; _Chrysocolaptes_ (8 sp.), India and Indo-Malaya;

_Dendropicus_ (16 sp.), Tropical and South Africa; _Hemicercus_ (5 sp.),

Malabar and Pegu to Malaya; _Gecinus_ (18 sp.), Palæarctic and Oriental

regions to Java; (2151-2156) _Dendromus_ (15 sp.), West and South Africa,

Zanzibar, and Abyssinia; (2157-2159) _Mulleripicus_ (6 sp.), Malabar, Pegu,

Indo-Malaya, and Celebes; _Celeus_ (17 sp.), Paraguay to Mexico;

_Nesoceleus_ (sp. 8833) Cuba; (2162) _Chrysoptilus_ (9 sp.), Chili and

South Brazil to Mexico; _Brachypternus_ (5 sp.), India, Ceylon, and China;

(2165 2166) _Tiga_ (5 sp.), all India to Malaya; (2167) _Gecinulus_ (2

sp.), South-east Himalayas to Burmah; _Centurus_ (13 sp.), Nearctic Region

to Antilles and Venezuela; _Chloronerpes_ (35 sp.), Tropical America,

Hayti; (2171) _Xiphidiopicus_ (1 sp.), Cuba; _Melanerpes_ (11 sp.), Brazil

to {304}Canada, Porto Rico; _Leuconerpes_ (1 sp.), Bolivia to North Brazil;

_Colaptes_ (9 sp.), La Plata and Bolivia to Arctic America, Greater

Antilles; _Hypoxanthus_ (1 sp.), Venezuela and Ecuador; (2187)

_Geocolaptes_ (1 sp.), South Africa; _Miglyptes_ (3 sp.), Malaya;

_Micropternus_ (8 sp.), India and Ceylon to South China, Sumatra and

Borneo.

FAMILY 52.--YUNGIDÆ. (1 Genus, 5 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Wrynecks (_Yunx_), which constitute this family, are small

tree-creeping birds characteristic of the Palæarctic region, but extending

into North and East Africa, over the greater part of the peninsula of India

(but not to Ceylon), and just reaching the lower ranges of the Himalayas.

There is also one species isolated in South Africa.

FAMILY 53.--INDICATORIDÆ. (1 Genus, 12 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Honey-guides (_Indicator_) constitute a small family of doubtful

affinities; perhaps most nearly allied to the woodpeckers and barbets. They

catch bees and sometimes kill small birds; and some of the species are

parasitical like the cuckoo. Their distribution is very interesting, as

they are found in every part of the Ethiopian region, except Madagascar,

and in the Oriental region only in Sikhim and Borneo, being absent from the

peninsula of India which is nearest, both geographically and zoologically,

to Africa.

{305}FAMILY 54.--MEGALÆMIDÆ. (13 Genera, 81 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Megalæmidæ, or Barbets, consist of rather small, fruit-eating birds, of

heavy ungraceful shape, but adorned with the most gaudy colours, especially

about the head and neck. They form a very isolated family; their nearest

allies being, perhaps, the still more isolated Toucans of South America.

Barbets are found in all the tropics except Australia, but are especially

characteristic of the great Equatorial forest-zone; all the most remarkable

forms being confined to Equatorial America, West Africa, and the Indo-Malay

Islands. They are most abundant in the Ethiopian and Oriental regions, and

in the latter are universally distributed.

In the beautiful monograph of this family by the Messrs. Marshall, the

barbets are divided into three sub-families, as follows:--

Pogonorhynchinæ (3 genera, 15 sp.), which are Ethiopian except the 2

species of _Tetragonops_, which are Neotropical; Megalæminæ (6 genera, 45

sp.), which are Oriental and Ethiopian; and Capitoninæ (4 genera, 18 sp.),

common to the three regions.

The genera are each confined to a single region. Africa possesses the

largest number of peculiar forms, while the Oriental region is richest in

species.

This is probably a very ancient group, and its existing distribution may be

due to its former range over the Miocene South Palæarctic land, which we

know possessed Trogons, Parrots, Apes, and Tapirs, groups which are now

equally abundant in Equatorial countries.

{306}The following is a tabular view of the genera with their

distribution:--

--------------------+------------------+----------------+----------------

Genera | Ethiopian | Oriental | Neotropical

| Region. | Region. | Region.

--------------------+------------------+----------------+----------------

| | |

POGONORHYNCHINÆ. | | |

Tricholæma 1 sp.|W. Africa | |

Pogonorhynchus 12 " |All Trop. & S. Af.| |

Tetragonops 2 " | | |Peru & Costa

| | | Rica

| | |

MEGALÆMINÆ. | | |

Megalæma 29 " | |The whole region|

Xantholæma 4 " | |The whole region|

Xylobucco 2 " |W. Africa | |

Barbatula 9 " |Trop. & S. Africa | |

Psilopogon 1 " | | |Sumatra

Gymnobucco 2 " |W. Africa | |

| | |

CAPITONINÆ. | | |

Trachyphonus 5 " |Trop. & S. Africa | |

Capito 10 " | | |Equatorial Amer.

| | | to Costa Rica

Calorhamphus 2 " | |Malay Pen., |

| | Sumatra, Borneo|

Stactolæma 1 " |W. Africa | |

| | |

--------------------+------------------+----------------+----------------

FAMILY 55.--RHAMPHASTIDÆ. (5 Genera, 51 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Toucans form one of the most remarkable and characteristic families of

the Neotropical region, to which they are strictly confined. They differ

from all other birds by their long feathered tongues, their huge yet

elegant bills, and the peculiar texture and coloration of their plumage.

Being fruit-eaters, and strictly adapted for an arboreal life, they are not

found beyond the forest regions; but they nevertheless range from Mexico to

Paraguay, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. One genus, {307}_Andigena_,

is confined to the forest slopes of the South American Andes. The genera

are:--

_Rhamphastos_ (12 sp.), Mexico to South Brazil; _Pteroglossus_ (16 sp.),

Nicaragua to South Brazil (Plate XV. Vol. II. p. 28); _Selenidera_ (7 sp.),

Veragua to Brazil, east of the Andes; _Andigena_ (6 sp.), the Andes, from

Columbia to Bolivia, and West Brazil; _Aulacorhamphus_ (10 sp.), Mexico to

Peru and Bolivia.

FAMILY 56.--MUSOPHAGIDÆ. (2 Genera, 18 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Musophagidæ, or Plantain-eaters and Turacos, are handsome birds,

somewhat intermediate between Toucans and Cuckoos. They are confined to the

Ethiopian region and are most abundant in West Africa. The Plantain eaters

(_Musophaga_, 2 sp.), are confined to West Africa; the Turacos (_Turacus_,

16 sp., including the sub-genera _Corythaix_ and _Schizorhis_) range over

all Africa from Abyssinia to the Cape (Plate V. Vol. I. p. 264).

FAMILY 57.--COLIIDÆ. (1 Genus, 7 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Colies, consisting of the single genus _Colius_, are an anomalous group

of small finch-like birds, occuping a position between the Picariæ and

Passeres, but of very doubtful affinities. Their range is nearly identical

with that of the Musophagidæ, but they are most abundant in South and East

Africa.

{308}FAMILY 58.--CUCULIDÆ. (35 Genera, 180 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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1. 2. 3. 4 |1. 2. 3 -- |1. 2. 3. 4 |1. 2. 3. 4 |1. 2. 3. 4 |1. 2. 3. 4

| | | | |

The Cuculidæ, of which our well-known Cuckoo is one of the most widely

distributed types, are essentially a tropical group of weak insectivorous

birds, abounding in varied forms in all the warmer parts of the globe, but

very scarce or only appearing as migrants in the temperate and colder

zones. Many of the smaller Eastern species are adorned with the most

intense golden or violet metallic lustre, while some of the larger forms

have gaily-coloured bills or bare patches of bright red on the cheeks. Many

of the cuckoos of the Eastern Hemisphere are parasitic, laying their eggs

in other birds' nests; and they are also remarkable for the manner in which

they resemble other birds, as hawks, pheasants, or drongo-shrikes. The

distribution of the Cuckoo family is rather remarkable. They abound most in

the Oriental region, which produces no less than 18 genera, of which 11 are

peculiar; the Australian has 8, most of which are also Oriental, but 3 are

peculiar, one of these being confined to Celebes and closely allied to an

Oriental group; the Ethiopian region has only 7 genera, all of which are

Oriental but three, 2 of these being peculiar to Madagascar, and the other

common to Madagascar and Africa. America has 11 genera, all quite distinct

from those of the Eastern Hemisphere, and only three enter the Nearctic

region, one species extending to Canada.

Remembering our conclusions as to the early history of the several regions,

these facts enable us to indicate, with considerable probability, the

origin and mode of dispersal of the cuckoos. They were almost certainly

developed in the Oriental and Palæarctic regions, but reached the

Neotropical at a very early date, where they have since been completely

isolated. Africa must have long remained without cuckoos, the earliest

immigration {309}being to Madagascar at the time of the approximation of

that sub-region to Ceylon and Malaya. A later infusion of Oriental forms

took place probably by way of Arabia and Persia, when those countries were

more fertile and perhaps more extensive. Australia has also received its

cuckoos at a somewhat late date, a few having reached the Austro-Malay

Islands somewhat earlier.

The classification of the family is somewhat unsettled. For the American

genera I follow Messrs. Sclater and Salvin; and, for those of the Old

World, Mr. Sharpe's suggestive paper in the _Proceedings of the Zoological

Society_, 1873, p. 600. The following is the distribution of the various

genera:--

(2195) _Phænicophaës_ (1 sp.), Ceylon; (2196) _Rhamphococcyx_ (1 sp.),

Celebes; (2196) _Rhinococcyx_ (1 sp.), Java; (2196 pt. and 2203)

_Rhopodytes_ (6 sp.), Himalayas to Ceylon, Hainan, and Malaya; (2203 pt)

_Poliococcyx_ (1 sp.), Malacca, Sumatra, and Borneo; (2197) _Dasylophus_ (1

sp.), Philippine Islands; (2198) _Lepidogrammus_ (1 sp.), Philippine

Islands; (2200) _Zanclostomus_ (1 sp.), Malaya; (2201) _Ceuthmochares_ (2

sp.), Tropical and South Africa and Madagascar; (2202) _Taccocua_ (4 sp.),

Himalayas to Ceylon and Malacca; (2204) _Rhinortha_ (1 sp.), Malacca,

Sumatra, Borneo; (2199) _Carpococcyx_ (1 sp.), Borneo and Sumatra; (2220)

_Neomorphus_ (4 sp.), Brazil to Mexico; (2205 2206) _Coua_ (10 sp.),

Madagascar; (2207) _Cochlothraustes_ (1 sp.), Madagascar; (2221)

_Centropus_ (35 sp.), Tropical and South Africa, the whole Oriental region,

Austro-Malaya and Australia; (2213) _Crotophaga_ (3 sp.), Brazil to

Antilles and Pennsylvania; (2212) _Guira_ (1 sp.), Brazil and Paraguay;

(2209) _Geococcyx_ (2 sp.), Guatemala to Texas and California; (2211)

_Dromococcyx_ (2 sp.), Brazil to Mexico; (2210) _Diplopterus_ (1 sp.),

Mexico to Ecuador and Brazil; (2208) _Saurothera_ (4 sp.), Greater

Antilles; (2219) _Hyetornis_ (2 sp.), Jamaica and Hayti; (2215) _Piaya_ (3

sp.), Mexico to West Ecuador and Brazil; (2218) _Morococcyx_ (1 sp.), Costa

Rica to Mexico; (2214) _Coccygus_ (10 sp.), La Plata to Antilles, Mexico

and Pennsylvania, Cocos Island; (2227) _Cuculus_ (22 sp.), Palæarctic,

Ethiopian, and Oriental regions, to Moluccas and Australia; (2229)

_Caliecthrus_ (1 sp.), Papuan Islands; (2230-2232) _Cacomantis_ (15 sp.),

Oriental and Australian {310}regions to Fiji Islands and Tasmania;

(2233-2237) _Chrysococcyx_ (16 sp.), Tropical and South Africa, the

Oriental and Australian regions to New Zealand and Fiji Islands; (2238)

_Surniculus_ (2 sp.), India, Ceylon, and Malaya; (2239) _Hierococcyx_ (7

sp.), the Oriental region to Amoorland and Celebes; (2240 2241) _Coccystes_

(6 sp.), Tropical and South Africa, the Oriental region, excluding

Philippines; (2242) _Eudynamis_ (8 sp.), the Oriental and Australian

regions, excluding Sandwich Islands; (2243) _Scythrops_ (1 sp.), East

Australia to Moluccas and North Celebes.

FAMILY 59.--LEPTOSOMIDÆ. (1 Genus, 1 Species.)

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION.

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The Geographical Distribution of Animals, Volume 2 With a study of the relations of living and extinct faunas as elucidating the past changes of the Earth's surface · 第 11 / 18 章

The Dormice (_Myoxus_), are small rodents found over all the temperate