the division into North and South America introduces difficulties, for almost all the groups especially characteristic of South America are found also beyond the isthmus of Panama, in what is geographically part of the northern continent. It being thus clear that the old and popular divisions of the globe are very inconvenient when used to describe the range of animals, we are naturally led to ask whether any other division can be made which will be more useful, and will serve to group together a considerable number of the facts we have to deal with. Such a division was made by Mr. P. L. Sclater more than twenty years ago, and it has, with some slight modifications, come into pretty general use in this country, and to some extent also {33} abroad; we shall therefore proceed to explain its nature and the principles on which it is established, as it will have to be often referred to in future chapters of this work, and will take the place of the old geographical divisions whose inconvenience has already been pointed out. The primary zoological divisions of the globe are called "regions," and we will begin by ascertaining the limits of the region of which our own country forms a part. _The Range of British Mammals as indicating a Zoological Region._--We will first take our commonest wild mammalia and see how far they extend, and especially whether they are confined to Europe or range over parts of other continents: 1. Wild Cat | Europe | N. Africa | Siberia, Afghanistan. 2. Fox | Europe | N. Africa | Central Asia to Amoor. 3. Weasel | Europe | N. Africa | Central Asia to Amoor. 4. Otter | Europe | N. Africa | Siberia. 5. Badger | Europe | N. Africa | Central Asia to Amoor. 6. Stag | Europe | N. Africa | Central Asia to Amoor. 7. Hedgehog | Europe | -- | Central Asia to Amoor. 8. Mole | Europe | -- | Central Asia. 9. Squirrel | Europe | -- | Central Asia to Amoor. 10. Dormouse | Europe | -- | -- 11. Water-rat | Europe | -- | Central Asia to Amoor. 12. Hare | Europe | -- | W. Siberia, Persia. 13. Rabbit | Europe | N. Africa | --