chap, xiv.] OF THE TIMOR GROUP. 319 



fauna is strictly derivative, and that its origin does not go 

 back beyond one of the most recent geological epochs. Of 

 course there are a large number of species (such as most of 

 the waders, many of the raptorial birds, some of the kirjg- 

 fishers, swallows, and a few others), which range so widely 

 over a large part of the Archipelago, that it is impossible 

 to trace them as having come from any one part rather 

 than from another. There are fifty-seven such species in 

 my list, and besides these there are thirty-five more which, 

 though peculiar to the Timor group, are yet allied to wide- 

 ranging forms. Deducting these ninety-two species, we 

 have nearly a hundred birds left whose relations with 

 those of other countries we will now consider. 



If we first take those species which, as far as we yet 

 know, are absolutely confined to each island, we find, in— 



Lombock 4, belonging to 2 genera, of which 1 is Australian, 1 Indian. 

 Flores .12 „ 7 „ 5 are „ 2 „ 



Timor . 42 „ 20 „ 16 „ 4 „ 



The actual number of peculiar species in each island I do 

 not suppose to be at all accurately determined, since the 

 rapidly increasing numbers evidently depend upon the 

 more extensive collections made in Timor than in Flores, 

 and in Flores than in Lombock ; but what we can depend 

 more upon, and what is of more especial interest, is the 

 greatly increased proportion of Australian forms and de- 

 creased proportion of Indian forms, as we go from west to 



