NOTES ON THE FAUNA AND FLORA OF SARAWAK. 213 



piling it up into mounds three or four feet high, which dry in the 

 sun. I have very httle doubt but that this crab has b;en largely 

 responsible for the formation of dry land from mangrove swamp. 



Briefly summarising the more important faunistic features 

 illustrated by the above somewhat scattered facts : in the damp 

 and hot forests of Sarawak the mammals are mostly arboreal, some 

 Tiave developed flying organs, a few are semiaquatic, none are 

 burrowing ; the lizards are mostly arboreal and green in colour, 

 some are flying and none are burrowing ; the snakes are large and 

 mostly arboreal, one is stated to be flying, a fair number are 

 aquatic, several are burrowing ; of the frogs, several are flying ; 

 the insects are numerous and very varied, of large size and brilliant 

 colours, a rich green preponderating in several groups of beetles 

 and butterflies. In South Africa large mammals are far more abun- 

 'dant and, as terrestrial forms, they are fleet of foot, whilst others of 

 -smaller size are burrowing ; many of the lizards are terrestrial and of 

 •sombre hue, whilst in several groups they have become serpentiform 

 and a number are burrowing ; snakes are abundant but not very large 

 and are mostly terrestrial in habit though quite a number are 

 burrowing, some are arboreal and a few are aquatic ; insects are 

 very numerous and varied, but on the whole they are not so large 

 "nor so brilliant as those of the tropical forests of Borneo. 



In conclusion, there can be very little doubt but that all these 

 .general differences are explicable simply as a consequence of the 

 widely different environmental conditions. As we have seen, 

 rlosely-related species in the two areas have specialised in certain 

 directions so as to appear very distinct : if the environment in 

 these two countries were identical we should not expect to find the 

 same species of animals, but we should expect to see in the two 

 ■areas a strong general likeness in form, colouration and habits of 

 the animals belonging to the many orders of the animal kingdom. 



CONGRESS OF MINING AND METALLURGY— The 



International Congress of Mining, Metallurgy, Applied Mechanics, 

 and Practical Geology is appointed to take place at Diisseldorf 

 during the last week in June. There will be four sections : one 

 for Mining, one for Metallurgy, one for Applied Mechanics, and 

 one for Practical Geology. The address of the Committee of 

 organisation is Jacobistrasse, 3 5, Diisseldorf, Germany. 



TRANSACTIONS OF SOCIETIES. 



Chemical, Metallurgical, and Mining Society of South Africa. — 

 Saturday, December 20th : Dr. J. Moir, M.A., F.C.S., Vice-President, in 

 the chair. — " Endless rope haulage " : "H. G. Kay. A description of the 

 hauling system practised on diamond mining properties, where large quan- 

 tities of ground are handled in open workings. — " A Rotary Extrac'or for 

 precious metals from solutions " : W. Lloyd and E. T. Rand. Detailed 

 description of a machine evolved by the authors, wherein zinc shavings and 

 clippings constitute the precipitating agent, and ready access to the gold 

 slimes without stoppage of precipitation allows of a daily clean-up, the valves 

 being locked against unauthorised entry. The advantage of saving in zinc 

 and acid is likewise claimed. 



