48 THE NOTOG^IC REALM. [CHAP. 



rensts) 1 of the Philippines, has its nearest relatives in certain 

 extinct species from the Pliocene of Northern India. There is 

 also a true pig (Sus celebensis], nearly allied to Malayan forms ; as 

 well as a deer forming a variety of the widely spread sambar 

 (Cervus unicolor}. Among the rodents, a rat with an extremely 

 long muzzle constitutes a peculiar genus (Echinothrix)^ and there 

 are also other Muridce, as well as squirrels (Sciurid<K), in addition 

 to numerous bats, mostly belonging to Oriental types ; certain of 

 the squirrels, such as Sciurus prevosti, being common to the 

 Malayan countries. 



Unfortunately there is absolutely no palseontological evidence 

 to help us in regard to the past history of these islands ; but from 

 the living mammalian fauna we should be inclined to place the 

 whole area within the limits of the Oriental region. On the other 

 hand, a large number of the birds both of the Moluccas and 

 Celebes are peculiar; and Australian affinities are displayed by the 

 presence of a bird of paradise (Semioptera) in Gilolo and Batjan, 

 and of a cassowary (Casuarius) in Ceram. Accordingly, it may be 

 well to include not only the Moluccas, but likewise Celebes within 

 the limits of the Notogseic realm, which will then embrace the 

 whole of the countries where monotremes, typical diprotodont 

 marsupials, birds-of-paradise, and cassowaries occur. Still it 

 must be confessed that this is, after all, mainly a matter of con- 

 venience, seeing that since, as will be shown below, the diprotodont 

 marsupials have in all probability originated in the Australian 

 region, those inhabiting the Austro-Malayan region must ap- 

 parently be regarded as comparatively late immigrants from the 

 south-east 2 ; the same being also true with regard to the single 

 bird-of-paradise and the cassowary inhabiting this area. And it 

 is noteworthy that both genera of Austro-Malayan marsupials are 

 precisely such as, from their arboreal habits, would be likely to be 

 transported on floating timber. Dr Wallace has suggested that 

 Celebes has been separated from the Oriental region since the 



1 It has been suggested that this animal is a hybrid between the anoa and 

 the Indian buffalo. 



2 In this view I am in accord with Dr Blanford, who (GeoL Mag. decade 

 3, vol. IX. p. 165, 1892) writes that the marsupials of Celebes "are probably 

 of later introduction than the mammals with Oriental affinities." 



