Thus, the nearest allies to our European golden plover are
found in North America and East Asia; the nearest ally of our European
jay is found in Japan, although there are several other species of jays
in Western Asia and North Africa; and though we have several species of
titmice in England they are not very closely allied to each other. The
form most akin to our blue tit is the azure tit of Central Asia (Parus
azureus); the Parus ledouci of Algeria is very near our coal tit, and
the Parus lugubris of South-Eastern Europe and Asia Minor is nearest to
our marsh tit. So, our four species of wild pigeons--the ring-dove,
stock-dove, rock-pigeon, and turtle-dove--are not closely allied to each
other, but each of them belongs, according to some ornithologists, to a
separate genus or subgenus, and has its nearest relatives in distant
parts of Asia and Africa. In mammalia the same thing occurs. Each
mountain region of Europe and Asia has usually its own species of wild
sheep and goat, and sometimes of antelope and deer; so that in each
region there is found the greatest diversity in this class of animals,
while the closest allies inhabit quite distinct and often distant areas.
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