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312 GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. [part iv.
region except Indo-Malaya, the Palaearctic to the abovenamed
limits, and the island of Celebes on the confines
of the Australian region ; Eurystomiis (8 sp.), West and
East Africa and Madagascar, the whole Oriental region except
the Peninsula of India, and the Australian as far as Australia
and the Solomon Islands ; Brachyptcracias (possibly allied
to Leptosomus ?) (4 sp.), Madagascar only, but these abnormal
birds form a distinct sub-family, and according to Mr. Sharpe,
three genera, Brachypteracias, Atelornis, and Geohiastes.
A most remarkable feature in the distribution of this family
is the occurrence of a true roller (Coracias temminckii) in the
island of Celebes, entirely cut off from the rest of the genus,
which does not occur again till we reach Siam and Burmah.
The curious Fseudocheh'don from West Africa may perhaps
belong to this family or to the Cypselidse. (Ibis. 1861, p. 321.)
Neotropical
Sob-regions.
Family 63.—MEEOPID^. (5 Genera, 34 Species.)
N EARCTIC
SUB-REG'OSS.
General Distribution.
Pal^arctic
Sub-regions.
Ethiopian I
I
Australian
Sub-regions.
Oriental
Sub-regions. Sub-regions.
— l.a 1.2.3.4 1.2.3.4 1.2
The Meropidse, or Bee-eaters, have nearly the same distribution
as the Pollers, but they do not penetrate quite so far either into
the Eastern Palaearctic or the Australian regions. The distribu-
tion of the genera is as follows :
—
Merops (21 sp.), has the range of the family extending on the
north to South Scandinavia, and east to Australia and New
Guinea ; Nyctiornis (3 sp.), the Oriental region, except Ceylon
and Java ; Meropogon (1 sp.), Celebes ; Meropiscus (3 sp.), West
Africa; Melittophagus (6 sp.), Ethiopian region, except Madagascar.