The geographical distribution of animals, with a study of the relations ...
The geographical distribution of animals, with a study of the relations ... The geographical distribution of animals, with a study of the relations ...
76 DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS. [part i.Next we have the Indo-Chinese sub-region, comprising SouthChina and Burmah, extending westward along the Himalayanrange to an altitude of about 9,000 or 10,000 feet, and southwardto Tavoy or Tenasserim.The last is the Indo-Malayan sub-region, comprising thePeninsula of Malacca and the Malay Islands to Baly, Borneo,and the Philippines.On account of the absence from the first sub-region of many ofthe forms most characteristic of the other three, and the numberof families and genera of mammalia and birds which occur in itand also in Africa, it has been thought by some naturalists thatthis part ofIndia has at least an equal claim to be classed as apart of the Ethiopian region.discussed in Chapter XII. devoted toThis question will be found fullythe Oriental region, whereit is shown that the African affinity is far less than has beenrepresented, and that in all itswholly Oriental in its fauna.essential features Central India isBefore leaving this region a few words may be said aboutLemuria, a name proposed by Mr. Sclater for the site of a supposedsubmerged continent extending from Madagascar to Ceylonand Sumatra, in which the Lemuroid type of animals was developed.This is undoubtedly a legitimate and highly probable supposition,and itis an example of the way in which a study of thegeographical distribution of animals may enable us to reconstructthe geography of a bygone age.But we must not, as Mr. Blythproposed, make this hypothetical land one of our actual Zoologicalregions. It represents what was probably a primaryZoological region in some past geological epoch ; but what thatepoch was and what were the limits of the region in question, weare quite unable to say. If we are to suppose that it comprisedthe whole area now inhabited by Lemuroid animals, we mustmake it extend from West Africa to Burmah, South China, andCelebes ; an area which it possibly did once occupy, but whichcannot be formed into a modern Zoological region without violatingmuch more important affinities. If, on the other hand,we leave out all those areas which undoubtedly belong to otherregions, we reduce Lemuria to Madagascar and its adjacent
chap. IV.] ZOOLOGICAL REGIONS. 77islands, which, for reasons already stated, it is not advisable totreat as a primary Zoological region. The theory of this ancientcontinent and the light it may throw on existing anomalies ofdistribution, will be more fully considered in the geographicalpart of this work.Australian Region.—Mr. Sclater's original name seems preferableto Professor Huxley's, "Austral- Asian- ; " the inconvenienceof which alteration is sufficiently shown by the factthat Mr. Blyth proposed to use the very same term as anappropriate substitute for the " Indian region " of Mr. Sclater.Australia is the great central mass of the region ; it is by far therichest in varied and highly remarkable forms of life ; and ittherefore seems in every way fitted to give a name to the regionof which it is the essential element. The limits of this regionin the Pacific are somewhat obscure, but as so many of thePacific Islands are extremely poor zoologically, this is not ofgreat importance.Sub-divisions of the Australian Region.—The firstsub-regionis the Austro-Malayan, including the islands from Celebes andLombock on the west to the Solomon Islands on the east. TheAustralian sub-region comes next, consisting of Australia andTasmania. The third, or Polynesian sub-region, will consistof all the tropical Pacific Islands, and is characterized byseveral peculiar genera of birds which are all allied to Australiantypes. The fourth, consists of New Zealand with Auckland,Chatham, and Norfolk Islands, and must be called the NewZealand sub-region.The extreme peculiaritiesof New Zealand, due no doubt toits great isolation and to its being the remains of a moreextensive land, have induced several naturalists to suggest thatit ought justly to form a Zoological region by itself. But theinconveniences of such a procedure have been already pointedout ; and when we look at its birds as a whole (they being theonly class sufficiently well represented tofound any conclusionupon) we find that the majority of them belong to Australiangenera, and where the genera are peculiar they aremost nearlyrelated to Australian types. The preservation in these islands
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76 DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS. [part i.Next we have <strong>the</strong> Indo-Chinese sub-region, comprising SouthChina and Burmah, extending westward along <strong>the</strong> Himalayanrange to an altitude <strong>of</strong> about 9,000 or 10,000 feet, and southwardto Tavoy or Tenasserim.<strong>The</strong> last is <strong>the</strong> Indo-Malayan sub-region, comprising <strong>the</strong>Peninsula <strong>of</strong> Malacca and <strong>the</strong> Malay Islands to Baly, Borneo,and <strong>the</strong> Philippines.On account <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> absence from <strong>the</strong> first sub-region <strong>of</strong> many <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> forms most characteristic <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r three, and <strong>the</strong> number<strong>of</strong> families and genera <strong>of</strong> mammalia and birds which occur in itand also in Africa, it has been thought by some naturalists thatthis part <strong>of</strong>India has at least an equal claim to be classed as apart <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ethiopian region.discussed in Chapter XII. devoted toThis question will be found fully<strong>the</strong> Oriental region, whereit is shown that <strong>the</strong> African affinity is far less than has beenrepresented, and that in all itswholly Oriental in its fauna.essential features Central India isBefore leaving this region a few words may be said aboutLemuria, a name proposed by Mr. Sclater for <strong>the</strong> site <strong>of</strong> a supposedsubmerged continent extending from Madagascar to Ceylonand Sumatra, in which <strong>the</strong> Lemuroid type <strong>of</strong> <strong>animals</strong> was developed.This is undoubtedly a legitimate and highly probable supposition,and itis an example <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> way in which a <strong>study</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><strong>geographical</strong> <strong>distribution</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>animals</strong> may enable us to reconstruct<strong>the</strong> geography <strong>of</strong> a bygone age.But we must not, as Mr. Blythproposed, make this hypo<strong>the</strong>tical land one <strong>of</strong> our actual Zoologicalregions. It represents what was probably a primaryZoological region in some past geological epoch ; but what thatepoch was and what were <strong>the</strong> limits <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> region in question, weare quite unable to say. If we are to suppose that it comprised<strong>the</strong> whole area now inhabited by Lemuroid <strong>animals</strong>, we mustmake it extend from West Africa to Burmah, South China, andCelebes ; an area which it possibly did once occupy, but whichcannot be formed into a modern Zoological region <strong>with</strong>out violatingmuch more important affinities. If, on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand,we leave out all those areas which undoubtedly belong to o<strong>the</strong>rregions, we reduce Lemuria to Madagascar and its adjacent
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