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Sheep (Ovis) and Goat (Capra) must be considered as especially characteristic of this Region, although stragglers of these forms are found in the confines of the Nearctic and Oriental Regions. They are all mountain animals, one of the best marked forms being the Barbary Sheep

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(Ovis tragelaphus) of Northern Africa (Fig. 38). Of the Rodents, the two most characteristic Palæarctic families are the Dormice (Myoxide) and the Jerboas (Dipodide). Of the former family two genera, and of the latter four, are all confined to this Region. There are also two very

peculiar genera of Carnivores met with in this Region. One of these (Eluropus) is a curious bear-like creature of a white colour, with the ears, shoulders, limbs, and rings round the eyes black, which has only hitherto been obtained in the high mountains of Eastern Tibet (see

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Fig. 39). The other genus, Elurus, sometimes called the Panda, is also found in the same district, but extends southwards into Yunnan. Remains of a closely allied species of this genus have lately been found in the Pliocene deposits of England. This animal is usually

placed in the otherwise strictly New World family Procyonida, which embraces the Raccoons and their allies. The only other carnivorous genus not represented beyond the limits of the Palearctic Region is Meles, containing the familiar European Badger and other species.

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The Insectivora are found in considerable numbers in this Region, three genera of Shrews and three of Moles being restricted to it. Among these are the little Watershrew (Crossopus) found in England, and thence throughout the Palearctic Region as far as the Altai mountains. Crossopus (Fig. 40) is distinguished by having fringes of

stiff hairs along the sides of its feet and tail, which are doubtless of great assistance to it in swimming. Another shrew, Nectogale, found only in Tibet, is still better provided for an aquatic existence, as it has webs between the toes of both fore and hind limbs. The most remarkable endemic representative of the family of Moles in the Palearctic Region is the Desman, Myogale, of which there are two species, one found in the Pyrenees, and the other in the streams and lakes of South-Eastern Russia. The external appearance of these animals, however, resembles much more that of a Shrew than that of a Mole.

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Considering that the whole of this Region lies within the temperate zone, the number of its Bats is considerable, although they mostly belong to widespread genera. The Monkeys are represented in the Palearctic Region by outlying species of two genera, Macacus and Semnopithecus, which are both abundant in the Oriental Region. the former of these belongs the well-known Barbary ape (Macacus inuus), which inhabits the Rock of Gibraltar and the Barbary States of Northern Africa, as well as several species of Eastern Asia. Another Macaque (M. tcheliensis) is enabled by its thickened fur to endure the extremely severe climate of the mountains north of Pekin, and is probably the most northern monkey now living.

SECTION III.-SUB-DIVISION OF THE PALEARCTIC

REGION

The sub-divisions of the Palearctic Region recognized by Wallace are four in number; these are—First, the European Sub-region, which includes Europe north of the

Alps and the continuing mountain ranges that form the backbone of the continent; secondly, the Mediterranean Sub-region, which consists of the remainder of Europe, Northern Africa, and Western Asia as far as the borders of the Oriental Region; thirdly, the Siberian Sub-region, which includes not only the country from which it takes its name, but also the whole of the desert region of Central Asia, and reaches as far south as the Himalayas; fourth and last, the Manchurian Sub-region, containing the greater part of China proper and Manchuria together with Japan.

These Sub-regions, however, do not appear to represent the true faunal divisions of the Palearctic Sub-region quite adequately. In the first place, there seems to be a fairly continuous and unchanging fauna extending from the west of Europe all across Siberia and embracing the northern island (at any rate) of Japan. This wide area is still, to a great extent, covered with forest, and was, no doubt, mainly so beset until within comparatively recent times.

Again, Wallace's arrangement divides between two Subregions the vast extent of desert country that reaches from the Sahara through Egypt, Arabia, Persia, and Turkestan to Mongolia, which also appears to contain a fairly homogeneous fauna. Wallace's Manchurian Subregion, on the other hand, seems to be well established, and to be the most distinctive of all his Sub-regions, but as it only embraces a part of Manchuria, we prefer to call it the Chinese Sub-region.

We may, therefore, distinguish three Sub-regions in the Palearctic Region as follows:—

1. The Europasian Sub-region, containing Europe, the

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