Preface, vii 



groups are followed by one on the Natural History of that group ; 

 and the work may thus be divided into five parts, each treating of 

 one of the natural divisions of the Archipelago. 



The first chapter is an introductory one, on the physical geogra- 

 phy of the whole region ; and the last is a general sketch of the 

 races of man in the Archipelago and the surrounding countries. 

 With this explanation, and a reference to the maps which illustrate 

 the work, I trust that my readers will always know where they are, 

 and in what direction they are going. 



I am well aware that my book is far too small for the extent of 

 the subjects it touches upon. It is a mere sketch ; but so far as it 

 woes I have endeavored to make it an accm-ate one. Almost the 

 whole of the narrative and descriptive portions were written on the 

 spot, and have had little more than verbal alterations. The chap- 

 ters on Natural History, as well as many passages in other parts of 

 the work, have l)een written in the hope of exciting an interest in 

 the various questions connected with the origin of species and their 

 o-eographical distribution. In some cases I have been able to ex- 

 plain my views in detail ; while in others, owing to the greater com- 

 plexity of the subject, I have thought it better to confine myself to 

 a statement of the more interesting facts of the problem, whose solu- 

 tion is to be found in the principles developed l)y Mr. Darwm in his 

 various works. The numerous illustrations will, it is believed, add 

 much to the mterest and value of the book. They have been made 

 from my own sketches, from photographs, or from specimens ; and 

 such subjects only have been chosen as would really illustrate the 

 narrative or the descrii^tions. 



I have to thank Messrs. Walter and Henry Woodljury, whose ac- 

 quaintance I had the pleasure of making in Java, for a number of 

 photographs of scenery and of natives, which have been of the great- 

 est assistance to me. Mr. William Wilson Saunders has kindly al- 

 lowed me to figure the curious horned flies ; and to Mr. Pasco I am 

 indebted for a loan of two of the very rare Longicoms which appear 

 in the plate of Bomean beetles. All the other specimens figured are 

 in my own collection. 



As the main object of all my journeys was to obtain specimens of 

 natural history, both for my private collection and to supply dupli- 

 cates to museums and amateurs, I will give a general statement of 

 the number of specimens I collected, and which reached home in 

 good condition. I must premise that I generally employed one or 

 two, and sometimes three Malay ser\^ants to assist me ; and for near- 

 ly half the time had the services of an English lad, Charles Allen. I 

 was just eight years away from England, but as I travelled about 

 fourteen thousand miles within the Archipelago, and made sixty or 

 seventy separate journeys, each involving some preparation and loss 



