FAUNA. Sclater and Wallace divide Asia into two great regions. North of the Himalaya range lies the great Pahearchis region, while to the south of it is the Oriental zone. The climatic extremes of the former, with its long and in tensely cold winters, and its warm, short sum mers, are not favorable to animal life. Mam mals, of which there are forty-one families, are found throughout the region. Birds, of which there are fifty-eight families, are common, and most of the genera of northern and central Eu rope are round here. Partridges and grouse are plentiful; the most northern birds are the Alpine ptarmigan, the snow bunting, the raven, the gyrfalcon, and the snowy owl. Reptiles (25 families) and amphibia (10 families) are com paratively scarce, especially in the northern section. Of fresh-water fishes there are thirteen families. The insects as a whole are of European character, butterflies being especially numerous. The Oriental region, while it is comparatively limited in extent, has an exceedingly rich fauna, which is isolated from the Ethiopian fauna on the west by oceanic and desert barriers, and from the Paloearetic on the north by mountainous and desert barriers. In this region are found 35 families of mammalia, 71 of birds, 35 of reptiles, 9 of amphibia, and 13 of fresh-water fishes. The warm climate of this region is especially con ducive to the sustenance of animal life in great numbers. This is especially noticeable as re
gards birds, reptilia, and insects, which are found in great numbers.
?Among domesticated animals belonging to Asia, the most important are the ox, reindeer, and buffalo, the sheep, the goat, the horse, the ass, the camel, and the elephant. A number of species of ox and buffalo are natives of Asia. Very distinct from all the others is the yak of Tibet, which is to the inhabitants almost what the reindeer is to the Laplander. The sheep and goat, the horse and ass, are natives of the moun tainous parts of central Asia. The camel is al most indispensable as a beast of burden and of • food in the deserts. It is used principally in central and southwestern Asia. The elephant is a native of the tropical parts of Asia, and is of a different species from that of Africa.
To attempt to deal more particularly with the Fauna of so extensive and diversified an area as is covered by the title Ally would be impractic able and is unnecessary in view of the fact that under the titles of its subdivisions, such as INDIA ; PERSIA ; HIMALAYAS; SIBERIA; etc., the local faunal characteristics will be treated in detail.