Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 2.djvu/761

] Papua, and the other islands cast of Java beyond Wallace's line (see par. 6), fall within the Australian region. A few words may be said about the characteristic animals of each of these divisions.

96. Nearly all the mammals of Europe also occur in Northern Asia, where, however, the Palaearctic fauna is a enriched by numerous additional species. The character istic groups belong mostly to forms which are restricted to cold and temperate regions. Consequently the Quad- rumana, or monkeys, are nearly unrepresented, a single species occurring in Japan, and one or two others in North ern China and Tibet. Insectivorous bats are numer ous, but the frugivorous division of this order is only represented by a single species in Japan. Carnivora are also numerous, particularly the frequenters of cold climates, such as bears, weasels, wolves, and foxes. Of the Insecti- vora numerous forms of moles, shrews, and hedgehogs pre vail. The Rodents are also well represented by various squirrels, mice, and hares. Characteristic forms of this order in Northern Asia are the marmots (Arctomys) and the pikas, or tailless hares (Lagomys). The great order of Ungulata is represented by various forms of sheep, as many as ten or twelve wild species of Ovis being met with in the mountain chains of Asia ; and more sparingly by several peculiar forms of antelope, such as the saiga (Saiga tatarica], and the Gazella gutturosa, or yellow sheep. Coining to the deer, we also meet with characteristic forms in Northern Asia, especially those belonging to the typical genus Cervus. The musk deer (Moschus) is also quite restricted to Northern Asia, and is one of its most peculiar types.

97. The ornithology of Northern Asia is even more closely allied to that of Europe than the mammal fauna. Nearly three-fourths of the well-known species of Europe extend throughout Siberia into the islands of the Japanese empire. Here again we have an absence of all tropical forms, and a great development of groups characteristic of cold and temperate regions. One of the most peculiar of these is the genus Phasianus, of which splendid birds all the species are restricted in their wild state to Northern Asia. The still more magnificently clad gold pheasants (Tkaumalea), and the eared pheasants (Crossoptilon), are also confined to certain districts in the mountains of North-eastern Asia. Amongst the Passeres, such forms as the larks, stone chats, finches, linnets, and grosbeaks, are well developed, and exhibit many species.

98. The mammal fauna of the Indian region of Asia is much more highly developed than that of the Palæarctic. The Quadrumana are represented by several peculiar genera, amongst which are Semnopithecus, Hylobates, and Simla. Two peculiar forms of the Lemurine group are also met with. Both the insectivorous and frugivorous divisions of the bats are well represented. Amongst the Insectivora very peculiar forms are found, such as Gymnura and Tupaia. The Carnivora are likewise numerous ; and this region may be considered as the true home of the tiger, though this animal has wandered far north into the Palaearctic division of Asia. Other characteristic Carnivora are civets, various ichneumons, and the benturong (Arctictis). Two species of bears are likewise restricted to the Indian region. In the order of Rodents squirrels are very numerous, and porcupines of two genera are met with. The Indian region is the home of the Indian elephant one of the two sole remaining representatives of the order Proboscidea. Of the Ungulates, four species of rhinoceros and one of tapir are met with, besides several peculiar forms of the swine family. The Bovidae, or hollow-horned ruminants, are represented by several genera of antelopes, and by species of true Bos such as B. sondaicus, B. frontalis, and B. bubahis. Deer are likewise numerous, and the peculiar group of Chevrotains (Tragulus) is characteristic of the Indian region. Finally, this region affords us representatives of the order Edentata, in the shape of several species of Manis, or scaly ant-eater.

99. The assemblage of birds of the Indian region is one of the richest and most varied in the world, being surpassed only by that of tropical America. Nearly every order, except that of the Struthiones, or ostriches, is well represented, and there are many peculiar genera not found else where, such as Buceros, Ilarjjadcs, Lopkophorus, Euplocamus, Pavo, and Ccriornis. The Phasianidaa (exclusive of true PJw.sia.nus) are highly characteristic of this region, as are likewise certain genera of barbets (Megalcema), parrots (Palceornis), and crows (Dendrocitta, Urocissa, and Cissa). The family EurylixmidcE is entirely confined to this part of Asia.

100. The Ethiopian fauna plays but a subordinate part in Asia, intruding only into the south-western corner, and region, occupying the desert districts of Arabia and Syria, although some of the characteristic species reach still further into Persia and Sindh, and even into Western India. The lion and the hunting-leopard, which may be considered as, in this epoch at least, Ethiopian types, extend thus far, besides various species of jerboa and other desert-loving forms. 101. In the birds, the Ethiopian type is shown by the prevalence of larks and stone-chats, and by the complete absence of the many peculiar genera of the Indian region.

102. The occurrence of mammals of the Marsupial order in the Molucca Islands and Celebes, while none have been region, found in the adjacent islands of Java and Borneo, lying on the west of Wallace's line, or in the Indian region, shows that the margin of the Australian region has here been reached. The same conclusion is indicated by the absence from the Moluccas and Celebes of various other Mammals, Quadrumana, Carnivora, Insectivora, and Ruminants, which abound in the western part of the Archipelago. Deer do not extend into New Guinea, in which island the genus Sus appears to have its eastern limit. A peculiar form of baboon, Cynopithecus, and the singular ruminant, Anoa, found in Celebes, seem to have no relation to Asiatic animals, and rather to be allied to those of Africa.

103. The birds of these islands present similar peculiarities. Those of the Indian region abruptly disappear at, and many Australian forms reach but do not pass, the line above spoken of. Species of birds akin to those of Africa also occur in Celebes.

104. Of the marine orders of Sirenia and Cetacea the Dugong, Halicore, is exclusively found in the Indian Ocean ; and a dolphin, Platanista, peculiar to the Ganges, ascends that river to a great distance from the sea.

105. Of the sea fishes of Asia, among the Acanthopterygii, or spiny-rayed fishes, the Pcrcidcv, or perches, are largely represented ; the genus Serninus, which has only one species in Europe, is very numerous in Asia, and the forms are very large. Other allied genera are abundant, and extend from the Indian seas to Eastern Africa. The Squamipennes, or scaly-finned fishes, are principally found in the seas of Southern Asia, and especially near coral reefs. The Mullidce, or red mullets, are largely represented by genera differing from those of Europe. The Pulynemi, which range from the Atlantic through the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, supply animals from which isinglass is pre pared ; one of them, the mango-fish, esteemed a great delicacy, inhabits the seas from the Bay of Bengal to Siam. The Sciccnidte extend from the Bay of Bengal to China, but are not known to the westward. Horse mackerel are nu merous. The Stromateidcr, or pomf rets, resemble the dory, a Mediterranean form, and extend to China and the Pacific, The sword fishes, Xiphiida: the lancet fishes, Acanthuridæ