pical Africa or allied to them, and six more
which are especially characteristic of the African and Asiatic deserts
which form a kind of neutral zone between the temperate and tropical
regions. If now we consider that Algeria and the adjacent countries
bordering the Mediterranean form part of Africa, while they are separated
from Europe by a wide sea and are only connected with Asia by a narrow
isthmus, we cannot but feel surprised at the wonderful preponderance of the
European and West Asiatic elements in the mammalia which inhabit the
district.

_The Range of British Birds._--As it is very important that no doubt should
exist as to the limits of the zoological {35} region of which Europe forms
a part, we will now examine the birds, in order to see how far they agree
in their distribution with the mammalia. Of late years great attention has
been paid to the distribution of European and Asiatic birds, many
ornithologists having travelled in North Africa, in Palestine, in Asia
Minor, in Persia, in Siberia, in Mongolia, and in China; so that we are now
able to determine the exact ranges of many species in a manner that would
have been impossible a few years ago. These ranges are given for all
British species in the new edition of Yarrell's _History of British Birds_
edited by Professor Newton, while those of all European birds are given in
still more detail in Mr. Dresser's beautiful work on the birds of Europe.
In order to confine our examination within reasonable limits, and at the
same time give it the interest attaching to familiar objects, we will take
the whole series of British Passeres or perching birds given in Professor
Newton's work (118 in number) and arrange them in series according to the
extent of their range. These include not only the permanent residents and
regular migrants to our country, but also those which occasionally straggle
here, so that it really comprises a large proportion of all European birds.

I. BRITISH BIRDS WHICH EXTEND TO NORTH AFRICA AND CENTRAL OR NORTH-EAST
ASIA.

1. _Lanius collurio_ Red backed Shrike (also all Africa).
2. _Oriolus Galbula_ Golden Oriole (also all Africa).
3. _Turdus musicus_ Song-Thrush.
4. ,, _iliacus_ Red-wing.
5. ,, _pilaris_ Fieldfare.
6. _Monticola saxatilis_ Blue rock Thrush.
7. _Ruticilla suecica_ Bluethroat (also India in winter).
8. _Saxicola rubico