chap, xn.l THE ORIENTAL REGION. 349 



once existed for immigration from Southern China, perhaps by 

 a land connection through Formosa, at which time the ancestors 

 of the peculiar forms of deer entered the country. It may in- 

 deed be objected that our knowledge of these islands is far 

 too imperfect to arrive at any satisfactory conclusions as to their 

 former history ; but although many more species no doubt 

 remain to be discovered, experience shows that the broad cha- 

 racters of a fauna are always determined by a series of collections 

 made by different persons, at various localities, and at different 

 times, even when more imperfect than those of the Philippine 

 birds really are. The isolated position, and the volcanic struc- 

 ture of the group, would lead us to expect them to be somewhat 

 less productive than the Moluccas, close to the rich and varied 

 Papuan district, — or than Celebes, with its numerous indications 

 of an extensive area and great antiquity; and taking into account 

 the excessive poverty of its mammalian fauna, which is certain 

 to be pretty well known, I am inclined to believe that no future 

 discoveries will materially alter the character of Philippine 

 ornithology, as determined from the materials already at our 

 command. 



Java. — Following the same plan as we have adopted in first 

 discussing the Philippine islands, and separating them from the 

 body of the sub-region on account of special peculiarities, we 

 must next take Java, as possessing marked individuality, and as 

 being to some extent more isolated in its productions than the 

 remaining great islands. 



Java is well supplied with indigenous mammalia, possessing 

 as nearly as can be ascertained 55 genera and 90 species. None 

 of these genera are peculiar, and only about 5 of the species, 

 — 3 quadrumana, a deer and a wild pig. So far then there is 

 nothing remarkable in its fauna, but on comparing it with that of 

 the other great islands, viz., Borneo and Sumatra, and the Malay 

 peninsula, we find an unmistakable deficiency of characteristic 

 forms, the same in kind as that we have just commented on in 

 the case of the Philippines, though much less in degree. First, 

 taking genera which are found in all three of the above-named 



