94 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



All these dates are absurdly recent, and besides, 

 tbe separations, in all probability, did not occur in tlie 

 order given above. When we compare the fauna of 

 the continent with that of Sumatra, Java, and Borneo, 

 we find that Sumatra has the greatest number of 

 species identical with those of the Peninsula of Ma- 

 lacca ; that Borneo has a somewhat less proportion, 

 and that Java has the largest number peculiar to it- 

 self. Thence we conclude that Java was the first of 

 these islands that was separated from the continent, 

 that Borneo was next detached, and Sumatra at the 

 latest period. Bali was probably separated from Java 

 at a yet more recent date. 



Mr. Sclater was the first to notice the fact that 

 the dividing line between the Asiatic fauna and that 

 of Australia must be drawn down the Strait of Ma- 

 cassar, and this observation has only been confirmed 

 by all who have collected in those regions since. 

 Mr. A. R. Wallace further ascertained that this 

 line should be continued southward, through the 

 Strait of Lombok, between the island of that name 

 and Bali. He visited the latter island, and thus con- 

 trasts its birds with those of Lombok : " In Bali we 

 have barbets, fruit-thrushes, and woodpeckers ; on 

 passing over to Lombok these are seen no more, but 

 we have an abundance of cockatoos, honeysuckers, 

 and brush-turkeys {^Hfegapodiidoe), which are equally 

 unknown in Bali, and every island farther west. The 

 strait here is but fifteen miles wide, so that we may 

 pass in two hours from one great division of the 

 earth to another, differing as essentially in their ani- 

 mal life as Europe does from America." 



