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The geographical distribution of animals, with a study of the relations ...

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78 DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS. [part i.<strong>of</strong> a single representative <strong>of</strong> a unique order <strong>of</strong> reptiles, is, asbefore remarked, <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> same character as <strong>the</strong> preservation <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> Proteus in <strong>the</strong> caverns <strong>of</strong> Carniola ;and can give <strong>the</strong> localitywhere it happens to have survived no claim to form a primaryZoological region, unless supported by a tolerably varied anddistinctly characterized fauna, such as never exists in a veryrestricted and insular area.Neotropical Region.—Mr. Sclater's original name for thisregion is preserved, because change <strong>of</strong> nomenclature is alwaysan evil; and nei<strong>the</strong>r Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Huxley's suggested alteration" Austro-Columbia," nor Mr. Sclater's new term " Dendrogaea,"appear to be improvements. <strong>The</strong> region is essentially a tropicalone, and <strong>the</strong> extra-tropical portion <strong>of</strong> it is not importantenough to make <strong>the</strong> name inappropriate. That proposed byPr<strong>of</strong>essor Huxley is not free from <strong>the</strong> same kind <strong>of</strong> criticism,since it would imply that <strong>the</strong> region was exclusively SouthAmerican, whereas a considerable tract <strong>of</strong> North Americabelongs to it. This region includes South America, <strong>the</strong>Antilles and tropical North America ; and it possesses morepeculiar families <strong>of</strong> vertebrates and genera <strong>of</strong> birds and mammaliathan any o<strong>the</strong>r region.Subdivisions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Neotropical Region.—<strong>The</strong> great centralmass <strong>of</strong> South America, from <strong>the</strong> shores <strong>of</strong> Venezuela to Paraguayand Eastern Peru, constitutes <strong>the</strong> chief division, and may betermed <strong>the</strong> Brazilian sub-region. It is on <strong>the</strong> whole a forestcountry; its most remarkable forms are highly developedarboreal types ; and it exhibits all <strong>the</strong> characteristics <strong>of</strong> this richand varied continent in <strong>the</strong>ir highest development.<strong>The</strong> second, or Chilian sub-region, consists <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> open plains,pampas, and mountains <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn extremity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> continent;farand we must include in it <strong>the</strong> west side <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Andes asas <strong>the</strong> limits <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> forest near Payta, and <strong>the</strong> whole <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>high Andean plateaus as far as 4° <strong>of</strong> south latitude; whichmakes it coincide <strong>with</strong> <strong>the</strong> range <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Camelidse and Chinchillidae.<strong>The</strong> third, or Mexican sub-region, consists <strong>of</strong> Central Americaand Sou<strong>the</strong>rn Mexico, but it has no distinguishing character-

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