File:Geographical distribution of animals - with a study of the relations of living and extinct faunas as elucidating the past changes of the earth's surface (1876) (14782199464).jpg

Identifier: geographicaldis01wall (find matches)
Title: Geographical distribution of animals : with a study of the relations of living and extinct faunas as elucidating the past changes of the earth's surface
Year: 1876 (1870s)
Authors: Wallace, Alfred Russel, 1823-1913
Subjects: Zoology
Publisher: London, Macmillan
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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ocalamus, a genus of snakes, belonging to the Calamariida^;enid Pythonodipsas, one of the Dipsadidcie, both from the Zambesi;and among lizards, Pisturics, one of the Geckotida3, from Abys-sinia. Amphibia and Fishes.—There are no peculiar forms of amphibiaor of fresh-water fishes. Insects.—Insects arc almost equally unproductive of peculiarforms. Among butterflies we have Ahantis, one of the Ilesperidie,from Mozambique; and in Coleoptera, 2 genera of Cicindelidae,8 of Carabida3, 1 or 2 of Cefconiidtc, and about half-a-dozen ofLongicorns: a mere nothing, as we shall see, compared with thehosts of peculiar genera that characterise each of the other sub-regions. Neither do laud-shells appear to present any peculiarforms. • The fact that so very few special types characterise the exten-sive area now under consideration is very noteworthy. It justifiesus in uniting this large and widespread tract of country asforming essentially b\it one sub-division of the great Kthi(ipian I PLATE IV
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CIIAII ACIKIMSilC ANIMALS OK KAST AIHKW. CHAP. XI.) THE ETHIOPIAN REGION. £G1 region, and it suggests some curious speculations as to the formerhistory of that region, a subject which must be deferred to thelatter part of this chapter. In none of the other great tropicalregions does it occur, that the largest portion of their area,although swarming with life, yet possesses hardly any distinctivefeatures except the absence of numerous types characteristic ofthe other sub-regions. Plate IV.—Ilhistrating the Zoology of East Africa.—Althoughthis sub-region has so little speciality, it is that which aboundsmost in large animals, and is, perhaps, the best representative ofAfrica as regards zoology. Some of the most distinctive of Africananimals range over the whole of it, and as, from recent explora-tions, many parts of this w^ide area have been made know^n to thereading public, we devote one of our plates to illustrate theespecially African forms of life that here abound. The antelope

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