THE AUSTRALIAN REGION 39 



Nearly all the Marsupials found in the Papuan Sub- 

 region are confined to the island of New Guinea ; a few, 

 however — for example, the Phalangers — also inhabit the 

 other islands of this Sub-region. The Grey Cuscus {Phal- 

 ange r orientalis) extends from Amboyna in the Moluccas 

 and from Timor all across New Guinea, and as far east as 

 New Britain and the island of San Christoval in the 

 Solomons. As regards the remaining orders of mammals, 

 a few scattered representatives of the higher forms 

 (Ungulates, Insectivores, and Carnivores) are found in the 

 islands of the Papuan Sub-region. Some of these have, 

 undoubtedly, been introduced by the Malays from the 

 neighbouring islands of the Oriental Region; but others 

 have been described by naturalists as peculiar species. In 

 the latter case, even if we assume that the specific dis- 

 tinctions have been satisfactorily established, it is not 

 probable that such species have been brought into the 

 Papuan Region by the hand of man. It is more likely that 

 they have migrated into it at an earlier period, since a 

 considerable lapse of time is necessary before the effects of 

 isolation can produce new races of sufficient distinctness 

 from the original form to be entitled to specific separation. 

 As regards the Papuan Ungulates, several kinds of Swine 

 {Sus) are stated to be met with in the Papuan Region. 

 How far these differ from one another, and whether they 

 are really distinct from the allied wild pigs of the Oriental 

 Region, seems a little uncertain. It is probable, however, 

 that many of these so-called " species " of wild pig may be 

 descendants of the domestic animal, which has run wild, as 

 is well known, in many of the Pacific Islands. The other 

 representatives of the Order Ungulata found in the Papuan 

 Sub-region are three species of Deer belonging to what is 



