CHAP. XX 



CELEBES 



453 



the facts at our command render it probable that it is so. 

 The northern and eastern portions of the Celebes Sea have 

 been ascertained to be from 2,000 to 2,600 fathoms deep, 

 and such depths may extend over a considerable portion of 

 it, or even be much exceeded in the centre. In the 

 Molucca passage a single sounding on the Gilolo side gave 

 1,200 fathoms, and a large part of the Molucca and Banda 

 Seas probably exceed 2,000 fathoms. The southern portion 

 of the Straits of Macassar is full of coral reefs, and a 

 shallow sea of less than 100 fathoms extends from Borneo 

 to v^^ithin about forty miles of the western promontory of 

 Celebes ; but farther north there is deep water close to the 

 shore, and it seems probable that a deep channel extends 

 quite through the straits, which have no doubt been much 

 shallowed by the deposits from the great Bornean rivers as 

 well as by those of Celebes itself. Southward again, the 

 chain of volcanic islands from Bali to Timor appears to rise 

 out of a deep ocean, the few soundings we possess showing 

 depths of from 670 to 1,300 fathoms almost close to their 

 northern shores. We seem justified, therefore, in con- 

 cluding that Celebes is entirely surrounded by a deep sea, 

 which has, however, become partially filled up by river 

 deposits, by volcanic upheaval, or by coral reefs. Such 

 shallows, where they exist, may therefore indicate antiquity 

 and isolation, instead of being proofs of a former union 

 with any of the surrounding islands. 



Zoological Character of the Islands around Celehes. — 

 In order to have a clear conception of the peculiar character 

 of the Celebesian fauna, we must take into account that of 

 the surrounding countries from which we may suppose it 

 to have received immigrants. These we may divide 

 broadly into two groups, those on the west belonging to 

 the Oriental region of our zoological geography, and those 

 on the east belonging to the Australian region. Of the 

 first group Borneo is a typical representative ; and from its 

 proximity and the extent of its opposing coasts it is the 

 island which we should expect to show most resemblance to 

 Celebes. We have already seen that the fauna of Borneo 

 is the same general character as that of Southern Asia, 

 and that it is excessively rich in all the Malayan types of 



