chap, xvin.] OF CELEBES. 435 



serve to guard these organs from thorns and spines, while 

 hunting for fallen fruits among the tangled thickets of 

 rattans and other spiny plants. Even this, however, is not 

 satisfactory, for the female, who must seek her food in the 

 same way, does not possess them. I should be inclined to 

 believe rather, that these tusks were once useful, and were 

 then worn down as fast as they grew ; but that changed 

 conditions of life have rendered them unnecessary, and 

 they now develop into a monstrous form, just as the 

 incisors of the Beaver or Babbit will go on growing, if the 

 opposite teeth do not wear them away. In old animals 

 they reach an enormous size, and are generally broken 

 off as if by fighting. 



Here again we have a resemblance to the Wart-hogs 

 of Africa, whose upper canines grow outwards and curve 

 up so as to form a transition from the usual mode of 

 growth to that of the Babirusa. In other respects there 

 seems no affinity between these animals, and the Babirusa 

 stands completely isolated, having no resemblance to the 

 pigs of any other part of the world. It is found all over 

 Celebes and in the Sula islands, and also in Bouru, the 

 only spot beyond the Celebes group to which it extends ; 

 and which island also shows some affinity to the Sula 

 islands in its birds, indicating perhaps, a closer connexion 

 between them at some former period than now exists. 



The other terrestrial mammals of Celebes are, five species 



ff 2 



