chap, ix.] IN DO-MALAY ISLANDS. 221 



and the curious long-snouted and naked-tailed Gymnurus 

 rafrlesii. 



As the Malay peninsula is a part of the continent of 

 Asia, the question of the. former union of the islands to 

 the mainland will be best elucidated by studying the 

 species which are found in the former district, and also in 

 some of the islands. Now, if we entirely leave out of con- 

 sideration the bats, which have the power of flight, there 

 are still forty-eight species of mammals common to the 

 Malay peninsula and the three large islands. Among these 

 are seven Quadrumana (apes, monkeys, and lemurs), animals 

 who pass their whole existence in forests, who never swim, 

 and who would be quite unable to traverse a single mile of 

 sea ; nineteen Carnivora, some of which no doubt might 

 cross by swimming, but we cannot suppose so large a 

 number to have passed in this way across a strait which, 

 except at one point, is from thirty to fifty miles wide ; and 

 five hoofed animals, including the Tapir, two species of 

 rhinoceros, and an elephant. Besides these there are 

 thirteen Eodents and four Insectivora, including a shrew- 

 mouse and six squirrels, whose unaided passage over 

 twenty miles of sea is even more inconceivable than that 

 of the larger animals. 



But when we come to the cases of the same species 

 inhabiting two of the more widely separated islands, the 

 difficulty is much increased. Borneo is distant nearly 



