Dr. P. L. Sclater on the Birds of the Comoro Islands. 293 



opposite coast of Africa. They are all of volcanic origin, and 

 probably of quite recent formation; but only one of them (Great 

 Comoro) is now an active volcano, the other three (Mohilla, 

 Joanna or A'njuan, and Mayotte) being in a quiescent state. 



The great western current from the Indian Ocean which sets 

 round Cape Ambro, at the northern termination of Madagascar, 

 impinges with full force on the Comoros, and then passes down 

 the Mozambique Channel at a rate of ninety miles a day in some 

 parts, but varying according to the strength of the prevalent 

 monsoon. It thus appears to have come about that the Comoros 

 have been peopled with life from Madagascar, and that but very 

 few African forms have as yet reached them. The vegetation of 

 the Comoros is, as I am informed by Dr. John Kirk, entirely 

 that of Madagascar, but with an admixture of Indian weeds, such 

 as are found in the Mascarene Islands and in other spots subject 

 to the eastern monsoon. The only exception noted by Dr. Kirk 

 to the Madagascarian facies of vegetation was in the case of a 

 species of Clematis. Of this genus an African species was com- 

 mon in the Comoros, and the corresponding Madagascarian 

 species was not noted there. 



In the fauna of the Comoros, as far as we are acquainted with 

 it, the same is the case as with the flora. The mammals are 

 few in number, but those found are all of Madagascarian origin. 

 The Lemurid(s are represented by a single species, the Lemur 

 anjuanensis. Dr. Peters records the existence of this animal in 

 Joanna (whence it has derived its name) ; and Dr. Kirk tells me 

 he also met with it in the same island, in the forests, at about 

 2500 feet above the sea-level. Several specimens of a Centetes 

 (probably C. ecaudatus) were also obtained by Dr. Kirk in Joanna; 

 and according to native testimony, as Dr. Kirk informs me, the 

 Centetes also occurs in Mohilla. The only other species of 

 mammal I can record from the Comoros is Pteropus edwardsii, 

 which was obtained by Dr. Peters* and by Capt. Spekef in 

 Joanna. All these three species are strictly Madagascarian and 

 not African forms. With regard to birds, as we shall see further 

 on, nearly the whole of the recorded species are Madagascarian. 

 Reptiles, Dr. Kirk tells me, are almost unknown in the Comoros. 

 * Zool. Reise, i. p. 23. t See P. Z. S. 1861, p. 268. 



