140 NATURAL BISTORT OF THE [ciiap. ix 



of the several islands of the ArcliipeUigo ; and it is only by 

 isucli striking phenomena as the occnn*ence of nortliera and 

 even European genera on the siimmita of the Javanese 

 mountains that we can prove the former connexion of that 

 island with the Asiatic continent. With land animals, how- 

 tver, the case is very difi'erent. Their means of passing a 

 wide expanse of sea are fai' more restricted. Tht-ir diatri- 

 hution has been more accurately studied, and we possess 

 a much more complete knowledge of such groups as 

 jnammals and birds hi most of the islands, than we do ot 

 the plants. It is these two clasEies which will t'Uitply us 

 with most of onr facts as to the geograpliical distribution 

 of organized beings in this region. 



The number of Alanimalia known to inliiibit the Indo- 

 Malay region is very considerable, exceeding 170 species. 

 With the exception of the bats, uona of these have any 

 regular nunuis of passing arms of the sea many miles hi 

 extent, and a consideration of their distribution must 

 therefom greatly assist us in determiDing, whether these 

 islands have ever been connected with each other or with 

 the continent since the epoch of existing species. 



The Quadrumana or monkey tribe form one of the most 

 oharacteristic features of this region. Twenty-four dis- 

 tinct species are known to inhabit it, and these are distri- 

 buted with tolerable uniformity over the islands, nine 

 being found in Java, ten in the Malay peninsida, eleven in 

 Sumatra, and thiiieen in Borneo. The great man-like 

 Orang-utans are found only in Sumatra and Borneo ; the 

 cm'ious Siumang (next to them in size) in Sumatra and 

 Malacca; the long-nosed monkey only in Ijovneo ; whDe 

 every island has representatives of the Gibbons or long- 

 armed apes, and of monkeys. The lemur-like animals, 

 NycticebuB, Tarsius, and Galeopithecus, are found in all 

 the islands. 



Seven species found on the Malay peninsula extend 

 also into Sumati-a, four into Borneo, and throe hito Java ; 

 while two range into Siam and Burmiih, and one into 

 North India. With the exception of the Omng-utan» 

 the Siamang, the Tarsiiis spectrum, and the Galeopi- 

 thecus, all the Malayan genera of Quadrumana are re- 

 presented in India by closely allied species, although. 



