In Northern Africa we do not find so many European species (though even here they are very numerous) because a considerable number of West Asiatic and desert forms occur. Having, however, shown that Europe and Western Asia have almost identical animals, we may treat all these as really European, and we shall then be able to compare the quadrupeds of North Africa with those of Europe and West Asia. Taking those of Algeria as the best known, we find that there are thirty-three species identical with those of Europe and West Asia, while twenty-four more, though distinct, are closely allied, belonging to the same genera; thus making a total of fifty-seven of European type. On the other hand, we have seven species which are either identical with species of tropical 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 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 rubicola | Stonechat (also India in winter). |
| 9. ,, œnanthe | Wheatear (also N. America). |
| 10. Acrocephalus arundinaceus | Great Reed-Warbler. |
| 11. Sylvia curruca | Lesser Whitethroat. |
| 12. Parus major | Great Titmouse. |
| 13. Motacilla sulphurea | Grey Wagtail (also China and Malaya). |
| 14. ,, raii | Yellow Wagtail. |
| 15. Anthus trivialis | Tree Pipit. |
| 16. ,, spiloletta | Water Pipit. |
| 17. ,, campestris | Tawny Pipit. |
| 18. Alauda arvensis | Skylark. |
| 19. ,, cristata | Crested Lark. |
| 20. Emberiza schœniclus | Reed Bunting. |
| 21. ,, citrinella | Yellow-hammer. |
| 22. Fringilla montifringilla | Brambling. |
| 23. Passer montanus | Tree Sparrow (also S. Asia). |
| 24. ,, domesticus | House Sparrow. |
| 25. Coccothraustes vulgaris | Hawfinch. |
| 26. Carduelis spinus | Siskin (also China). |
| 27. Loxia curvirostra | Crossbill. |
| 28. Sturnus vulgaris | Starling. |
| 29. Pyrrhocorax graculus | Chough. |
| 30. Corvus corone | Crow. |
| 31. Hirundo rustica | Swallow (all Africa and Asia). |
| 32. Cotyle riparia | Sand Martin (also India and N. America). |
| II. British Birds which range to Central or North-east Asia. | |
| 1. Lanius excubitor | Great Grey Shrike. |
| 2. Turdus varius | White's Thrush (also to Japan). |
| 3. ,, atrigularis | Black-throated Thrush. |
| 4. Acrocephalus nævius | Grasshopper Warbler. |
| 5. Phylloscopus superciliosus | Yellow-browed Warbler. |
| 6. Certhia familiaris | Tree-creeper. |
| 7. Parus cœruleus | Blue Titmouse. |
| 8. ,, ater | Coal Titmouse. |
| 9. ,, palustris | Marsh Titmouse. |
| 10. Acredula caudata | Long-tailed Titmouse. |
| 11. Ampelis garrulus | |