id 95 . SOME NEW BOOKS. 135 



buried in the forests of Java are described, and a picture of the 

 wonderful temple of Boro-Bodor, dating from 1344, is given. 



But while Java is " throughout its whole extent brought under the 

 influence of civilisation, and covered with a network of roads and rail- 

 ways, Sumatra still remains, to all intents and purposes, a wild and 

 savage land." The Dutch have been settled there since 1824, and 

 have made slow and steady progress in the acquisition of territory ; 

 but much remains to be done to bring the island to the state of 

 government so well seen in Java. An equally interesting account of 

 the volcanoes of Sumatra to that of Java is given, and the story of the 

 grand and terrible eruption of Krakatau is repeated. It is almost 

 impossible to realise the magnitude of this volcanic outburst, even 

 when we are reminded that a mass of land $h miles by 2 miles was 

 entirely removed and a sea occupies its place giving soundings of go to 

 164 fathoms. One-half of Krakatau Island disappeared, and Verlaten 

 Island was increased to thrice its original size. The singular pheno- 

 mena of the waves of water and air are also discussed, and the fact of 

 the explosions having been heard at distances of 2,014 and 2,968 miles 

 is also noted. Borneo and Celebes are treated by Dr. Guillemard in 

 the same careful and systematic way, and scarcely less space is given 

 to the Moluccas and the Sunda group ; the whole account of Malaysia 

 occupying 375 pages of the book. Interesting notes are given con- 

 cerning the edible birds'-nests from North Borneo, from which one 

 gathers that no less than 20,000 pounds' worth are annually sent to 

 Singapore and China. The yield from the Gomanton caves is put 

 down at over ^"5,000 annually, and a description is given of the diffi- 

 culties of collection from places often more than 400 feet high, and 

 in absolute darkness except for the candle of the Dyak. 



Chapter xi. deals with Melanesia. There is a good account of 

 New Guinea, drawn from the latest publications on the island ; much 

 more exploration has to be done, however, before a general knowledge 

 even of this vast territory can be obtained. The geology, zoology, 

 and botany of New Guinea are still very imperfectly known, but the 

 island has already yielded the singular Proechidna, some tree 

 kangaroos, and a few peculiar rodents, while no less than 400 species 

 of land-birds have been discovered, including 40 species of birds-of- 

 paradise, and some bower birds allied to Amblyomis, which construct 

 " playing or coursing-grounds of so remarkable a nature, that were 

 not the facts attested by well-known naturalists, they would be 

 almost incredible. One builds a raised ring around a small tree, this 

 miniature circus being about two feet in height and provided with a 

 parapet," and another, " also selecting a small tree as the centre of 

 its building, forms around its base a bank of moss, which it decorates 

 by inserting flowers. The ring, or circus, is round this bank, and the 

 whole is protected from the sun or rain by a domed construction 

 which completely covers and surrounds it, except for an entrance at 

 one side." 



It would not be fair to the author, or to our own space, to say 

 more of this interesting book, which, with the other volumes of the 

 series, puts geography in so pleasing yet instructive a way. We shall 

 look forward to the volumes on Africa and Asia by Mr. Keane, 

 shortly to appear, with considerable pleasure. The maps are 

 numerous, well done, and all-sufficient for the purposes required, 

 and the illustrations seem to be well selected and are a great addition 

 to the text. To many the countries described in this volume are 

 almost mythical, and these will specially welcome this part of 

 Stanford's Geographical Compendium. 



