lines were written, a fine series of specimens of this rare
humming-bird has been obtained from the same locality. (See _Proc. Zool.
Soc._ 1881, pp. 827-834.)

[5] Many of these large genera are now subdivided, the divisions being
sometimes termed genera, sometimes sub-genera.

[6] The Palaearctic region includes temperate Asia and Europe, as will be
explained in the next chapter.

[7] The following list of the genera of reptiles and amphibia peculiar to
the Palaearctic Region has been furnished me by Mr. G. A. Boulenger, of the
British Museum:--

SNAKES. FROGS AND TOADS.

_Achalinus_--China, Japan. _Pelobates_--Eur., S.W. Asia.
_Coelopeltis_--S. Eur., N. Af., _Pelodytes_--W. Europe.
S.W. Asia. _Discoglossus_--S. Eur., N.W. Af.
_Macroprotodon_--S. Eur., N. Af. _Bombinator_--Eur., Temp. Asia.
_Taphrometopon_--Cent. Asia. _Alytus_--Cent. and W. Eur.

LIZARDS. NEWTS.

_Phrynocephalus_--Cent. and S.W. _Salamandra_--Eur., N. Af., S.W.
Asia. Asia.
_Anguis_--Europe, W. Asia. _Chioglossa_--Spain and Portugal.
_Blanus_--S.W. Eur., N.W. Africa, _Salamandrina_--Italy.
S.W. Asia. _Pachytriton_--East Thibet.
_Trogonophis_--N.W. Africa. _Hynobius_--China and Japan.
_Lacerta_--Eur., Temp. Asia, N. _Geomolge_--E. Manchuria.
Africa (one sp. in _Onychodactylus_--Japan.
W. Af.). _Salamandrella_--Siberia.
_Psammodromus_--S.W. Eur., N.W. _Ranidens_--Siberia.
Africa. _Batrachyperus_--East Thibet.
_Algiroides_--S. Eur. _Myalobatrachus_--China, Japan.
_Proteus_--Caverns of S. Austria.

[8] Remains of the dingo have been found fossil in Pleistocene deposits but
the antiquity of man in Australia is not known. It is not, however,
improbable that it may be as great as in Europe. My friend A. C. Swinton,
Esq., while working in the then almost unknown gold-field of Maryborough,
Victoria, in January, 1855, found a fragment of a well-formed stone axe
resting on the metamorphic schistose bed-rock about five feet beneath the
surface. It was overlain by the compact gravel drift called by the miners
"cement," and by an included layer of hard iron-stained sandstone. The
fragment