214 CELEBES. [chap. 



It was unfortunate that we could not visit tlie place ourselves. The 

 tlieory that the story was in the main correct, and the ^dctims had 

 met their death from the presence of carbonic acid gas at the 

 bottom of the cave, of course presented itself, but it seems more 

 probable that it was merely some ancient burying-place. Although 

 I am not aware that cave sepulture exists in Celebes, it is know^n 

 to do so in Luzon and other islands of the Phihppines. 



The peculiarities of the Celebesian fauna and their interpreta- 

 tion have been most alily expounded by ]\Ir. "Wallace in his " i\Ialay 

 Archipelago," and are known to every zoologist. To my non- 

 naturalist readers, however, I may perhaps be permitted Iniefly to 

 mention them. Celebes is singularly poor in mammals, but putting 

 aside those that have most prol)ably been introduced l3y man, an 

 extraordinarily large proportion of them are found to be peculiar to 

 the island, and many — such as the Anoa, the Babirusa, and the 

 black, baboon-like ape^ — are without near allies in any of the 

 neighbouring islands. The birds, too, are remarkable for the same 

 reason. Scissirostncm, the peculiar starling to wdiich I have alluded 

 (p. 168), and another with a curious, laterally-compressed crest of 

 steely blue feathers {Basilornis) ; two black and white magpie-like 

 birds {Streptocitta) — known to the nati^•es as the hurong pajidita or 

 missionary birds, from their sober plumage and white collar ; the 

 beautiful blue EoUer, and still more lovely Kingfisher, Ceyco2)sis 

 fallax ; the Maleo, and many others, are forms characteristic of 

 Celebes alone.^ Like peculiarities are found among the butterflies 

 and other insects, and for these and other reasons there is but little 

 doubt that Celebes, in spite of the proximity of the surrounding 



^ Mr. "Wallace ("Geographical Distiibution of Animals," vol. i., p. 427) says, 

 " there is some doubt about the allied species or variety {Cijno2nt1iecii,s nigcr) of the 

 Philippines being really indigenous there." 



-' The Maleo, the Babirusa, and other peculiar Celebesian forms were remarked 

 upon by the old Spanish voj-agers. Purehas says of the island of Batchian, which 

 seems to have been confused with Celebes, that " tliere be here small Hennes which lay 

 their egges vnder the ground aboue a Fathome and a halfe, and the egges are bigger 

 than Duck's egges. . . . There are Hogs also with homes and parats which prattle 

 much. " 



