CHAP. XXVII.] NATURAL HISTOBY. 139 



ten being yet known from the entire group. The bats or 

 aerial mammals, on the other hand, are numerous — not less 

 than twenty-five species being already known. But even 

 this exceeding poverty of terrestrial mammals does not at 

 all represent the real poverty of the Moluccas in this 

 class of animals ; for, as we sliall soon see, there is good 

 reason to believe that several of the species have been 

 introduced by man, either purposely or by accident. 



The only quadrumanous animal in the group is the 

 curious baboon-monkey, Cynopithecus nigrescens, already 

 described as being one of the characteristic animals of 

 Celebes. This is found only in the island of Batchian ; 

 and it seems so much out of place there — as it is difficult 

 to imagine how it could have reached the island by any 

 natural means of dispersal, and yet not have passed by 

 the same means over the narrow strait to Gilolo— that 

 it seems more likely to have originated from some indi- 

 viduals which had escaped from confinement, these and 

 similar animals being often kept as pets by the Malays, 

 and carried about in their praus. 



Of all the carnivorous animals of the Archipelago the 

 only one found in the Moluccas is the Viverra tangalunga, 

 which inhabits both Batchian and Bouru, and probably 

 some of the other islands. I am inclined to think that 

 this also may have been introduced accidentally, for it is 

 often made captive by the Malays, who procure civet 



