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CHAF. XV.] THE NEARCTIC REGION. 129
sub-region. It is allied to the European nutcracker ; but ac-
cording to the American ornithologist, Dr. Coues, has also resemblances
to the jays, and certainly forms a distinct genus. The
grizzly bear {Ursus ferox) in the background, is one of the
characteristic animals of the Californian highlands.
//. The Central, or Bochy Mountain Sub-region.
This extensive district is, for the greater part of its extent, from
2,000 to 5,000 feet above the sea, and is excessively arid ; and,
except in the immediate vicinity of streams and on some of the
higher slopes of the mountains, is almost wholly treeless. Its
zoology is therefore peculiar. Many of the most characteristic
genera and families of the Eastern States are absent ; while a
number of curious desert and alpine forms give it a character
of its own, and render it very interesting to the nsfturalist.
Mammalia.—The remarkable prong-horned antelope (Antilo-
capra), the mountain goat {Aploccrus), the mountain sheep or
bighorn {Ovis montana), and the prairie-dog (Cynomys), one of
the Eodentia, are peculiar to this sub-region ; while the family
of the Saccomyidse, or pouched rats, is represented by many forms
and is very characteristic. Here is also the chief home of the
bison. The glutton (Gulo) and marmot {Lagomys) enter it from
the north; while it has the racoon {Procyon), flying squirrel {Sciu-
ropterus), ground squirrel (Tamias), pouched marmot (Spermo-
philus) and jumping mouse (Jaculus) in common with the
countries east or west of it.
Plate XIX. Illustrative of the Zoology of the Central Plains or
Prairies.—We here introduce four of the most characteristic
mammalia of the great American plains or prairies, three of them
being types confined to North America. The graceful animals on
the left are the prong-horned antelopes {Antilocapra americana),
whose small horns, though hollow like those of the ante-
lopes, are shed annually like those of the deer. To the right
we have the prairie-dogs of the trappers (Cynomys ludovi-
cianus) which, as will be easily seen, are rodents, and allied
to the marmots of the European Alps. Their burrows are
numerous on the prairies, and the manner in which they perch