400 Life of Sir Stamford Raffles. 



torially illustrated in a splendid manner, of the most interesting 

 quadrupeds and birds of Java, including the results of the author's 

 zoological investigations in Banca. Thirty-seven species of Mam- 

 malia are described in this work, of which twenty-seven are new ; 

 and two of them, viz. Tupaia Javanica, and Prionodon gracilis^ 

 are also generically new. From this enumeration some idea may 

 be derived of the accessions to Zoology afforded by Dr. Ilorsfield'^s 

 labours, in two departments of the science; whilst the " Annulosa 

 Javofiica^^ already published, and (he forthcoming " Lepido- 

 pteru Javatiica," will afford ample testimony to their value in en- 

 tomology. 



In 1813, as we have had occasion to state already, the cele- 

 brated island of Banca, w hich had never been explored by Euro- 

 peans, became a possession of the British Government. Mr. 

 Raffles immediately appointed Dr. IJorsfield to visit this island in 

 conjunction with the Resident, as well as the capital of the native 

 state of Palcmbang, on the adjacent coast of Sumatra. The exa- 

 mination and scientific survey of Banca, together with a report 

 upon it, describing its natural productions in general, and commu- 

 nicating a particular account of the alluvial deposits of tin-ore 

 which are so abundantly worked in its plains, with the mode of 

 working them and of smelting the metal, occupied Dr. Horsfield 

 during 1813 and 18J4; and their results are calculated to excite 

 great regret that the Island should ever have been alienated from 

 the British Empire. While resident in Banca, Dr. Horsfield dis- 

 covered in the extensive forests near Jeboos, one of the mining 

 districts, the Tursius Bancaniis, one of the only four known spe- 

 cies of this singular genus of Quadrumana, which is apparently 

 peculiar to the Eastern Islands.* 



• It is proper to state on this subject, that M. Temminck considers the 

 Tarsius Bancanus to be merely the young of T. Daubenlunii, of which, he says, 

 " les naturalistes ont forme jusqu' k trois autres espcces puremcnt nominales." 

 Mon. de Mammal. Tom. I. Tab. Meth., p. xvi. 



[ To be continued. ] 



