NO. 1269. ANDAMAN AND mCOBAR MAMMALS— MILLER 791 
Mala^'an t3'pes, such as ungulates, squirrels, carnivores, and flying- 
lemurs, which abound on other islands at an equal distance from the 
mainland. This paucit}^ of mammalian life can not be regarded as due 
to unfavorable surroundings, since all the natural conditions on both 
Andamans and Nicobars are perfectly suited to the support of a rich 
and varied fauna. In only one feature do the Andamans and Nicobars 
diflfer from such islands as Sumatra, Java, Borneo, the Natunas, 
Anambas, and Tambelans; they are surrounded by water of relatively 
great depth, while the others lie within the 50 fathom line. Doubt- 
less this greater depth of water indicates separation from the mainland 
during a much longer period of time; and it appears safe to assume, 
therefore, that the Andamans and Nicobars, contrary to the case with 
the shallow- water islands, were isolated at a time when the mammals 
now characteristic of the Malay region did not exist there. As yet no 
species are known whose origin may be referred to the remote period 
of this land connection, but that such exist in the unexplored interior 
of the larger islands, particularly of the Andaman group, is not beyond 
the limit of possibility. Such mammals as are now known are evi- 
dently of ver}" recent origin, as in scared}^ an instance has their differ- 
entiation progressed further than in the case of members of the same 
genera found on islands lying in shallow water. The question at once 
arises, therefore, as to the means by which they have arrived where 
they now are. Flight from the mainland would readily account for 
the distribution of the bats; but the presence of the other mammals 
seems impossible to explain otherwise than through the agency of 
man. With the single exception of Tupaia nmibarica^ all are types 
well known to be closely associated with man throughout the Malayan 
region. Moreover, the period of time necessary to the development 
of the peculiarities of the native Andamanese would undoubtedly be 
ample to allow the formation of any of the species known from either 
group of islands, since in a biologic sense it has been vastly longer to 
the smaller, more rapidly breeding animals than to man. The intro- 
duction, intentional or otherwise, of a pig, a monkey, a palmcivet, two 
or three species of rats, a shrew and perhaps also a treeshrew, at about 
the time when the various islands were peopled by their present human 
inhabitants, would amply account for the existence of the present 
mammal fauna with its striking peculiarities. 
'It is worthy of note that this animal differs more conspicuously from its congeners 
than is the case with any of the other mammals. 
