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Show 316 PROF. HUXLEY ON THE ALECTOROMORPHCE. [May 14, making it a mere subdivision of the Old World. Exclusively confined to it are the Dromceidee, Strigopince, Dinomithidee, Plictolophince, Apterygida, Trichoyfossince, Didunculidce, Menundee. Dididce, Like Austro-Columbia it abounds in Parrakeets and Pigeons ; but Woodpeckers are entirely absent, and only a few Cuckoos represent the Pair-toed Coccygomorphee. Positively, this region is characterized by the abundance ot Marsupials (except Opossums) over a large part of its area, by the presence of Monotremes in a small part; negatively, by the absence of almost all other terrestrial Mammals. In fact the population of this great region (which I should prefer to call "Australasia") is so very different not only from that of Arctogaea, but from that of Austro-Columbia, that a good case might be made out for regarding it as a primary division in zoogeography, of the same value as Arctogaea and Austro-Columbia. Indeed 1 am not disposed to weigh lightly the claims of the New-Zealand islands to a similar distinction. This region of the world alone possesses two families of Ratitee which are exclusively confined to itself. The Alectoromorphce are represented only by a Quail. Again, in the absence of all Ophidia and Chelonia, and of all terrestrial Mammalia with the doubtful exception of a Rodent or two, N e w Zealand is without a parallel in lands of its size. If this view were admitted, it would be requisite to divide the earth's surface, for the purpose of geographical zoology, into four primary regions : - I . Arctogaea. II. Austro-Columbia. III. Australasia. IV. New Zealand. But this arrangement would leave out of sight the important fact that in some respects the three latter are less unlike one another than they are unlike the first-for example, in the paucity or absence of Ungulate Mammals, the abundance of Edentates and Marsupials among Mammals; and, in the class of Birds, nothing can be more remarkable than the great development of the Psittacomorphce in both Australasia and Austro- Columbia, while they are, comparatively, so feebly represented in India and South Africa, and are absent, save a stray species or two, in North America*. Not only in this circumstance, but in the wonderful uniformity of their osteology, the Psittacomorpheef nearly repeat the phenomena presented by the Peristopodes, and help, with them and the three-toed Ratitee, to bind together the widely sepa- * The Peristeromorphce resemble the Parrots in their remarkable development in Australasia and Austro-Columbia, and in their comparative paucity in India and Africa, But the contrast is less marked ; and they extend over all the temperate portions of Arctogaja. See Wallace "On the Pigeons of the Malav Archipelago " (Ibis, 1865, p. 365). 3 t See Wallace, " On the Parrots of the Malayan Region " (Proc. Zool Soc 1864, p. 272). and Finsch, "Die Papageien." |