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

316 ZOOLOGICAL GEOGRAPHY. [part hi.more allied to the bears, forming a distinctfamily of Carnivora,and confined to the high forest-districts of the Eastern Himalayasand East Thibet ;Melursus and Helardos, peculiar forms ofbears ;,Platanista, a dolphin peculiar to the Ganges and Indus.Among Euminants it has the beautiful chevrotain, formingthe genus Tragulus in the family Tragulidse ; with one peculiargenus and three peculiar sub-genera of true deer. The Antilopinreand Caprine are few, confined to limited districts and notcharacteristic of the region ;but there are everywhere wild cattleof the genera Bihos and Bubalus, which, with species of Rhinocerosand Blephas, form a prominent feature in the fauna. The Eodentsare less developed than in the Ethiopian region, but several formsof squirrels everywhere abound, together with some species ofporcupine ; and the Edentata are represented by the scaly manis.Birds.—The families and genera of birds which give a characterto Oriental lands, are so numerous and varied, that wecan here only notice the more prominent and more remarkable.The Timaliida?, represented by the babblers (Garrulax, Pomatorhinus,Timalia, &c), are almost everywhere to be met with, andno less than 21 genera are peculiar to the region ; the elegantfork-tailed Enicurus and rich blue Myiophonus, though comparativelyscarce, are characteristic of the Malayan and Indo-Chinese faunas ; the elegant little " hill-tits " (Liotrichidse)abound in the same part of the region ;the green bulbuls {Phyllornis)are found everywhere ;as are various forms of Pycnonotidse,the black and crimson " minivets " (Pericrocohis), and theglossy " king-crows " (Dicrurus) ;Urocissa, Platylophus and Dendrocittaare some of the interesting and characteristic formsof the crow family ; sun-birds (Netariniida?) of at least threegenera are found throughout the region, as are the beautiful littleflower-peckers (Dicreidse), and some peculiar forms of weaverbirds(Ploceus and Mania). Of the starling family, the mostconspicuous are the glossy mynahs (Eulabes). The swallowshrikes(Artamus) are very peculiar, as are the exquisitelycoloured pittas (Pittidse), and the gaudy broad-bills (Eurylsemidse).Leaving the true Passeres, we find woodpeckers,barbets, and cuckoos everywhere, often of peculiar and re-