JAVA 
121 
two species of jungle-fowl inhabit Java—one a very beau¬ 
tiful species (Gallus furcatus ), peculiar to the island and 
those eastward of it as far as Sumbawa; the other the 
common jungle-fowl of India and the Malay countries 
(Gallus bankiva ), and the original stock of all our domestic 
poultry. There are also several species of partridge and 
quail, and some very beautiful pigeons, pre-eminent among 
which is the mountain fruit-dove (.Ptilopus roseicollis), 
whose entire head and neck are of an intense rosy-pink, 
contrasting exquisitely with its otherwise green plumage. 
60 Inhabitants and Language. 
Setting aside Europeans and «other immigrant races, 
the inhabitants of Java belong to three nations, speaking 
allied but distinct languages—the Sundanese, Javanese, and 
Madurese. The Sundanese inhabit the country w T est of the 
meridian of Cheribon, and from the mountainous character 
of the district have remained the purest race. There are 
fewer Sanscrit words in their language than Javanese, owing 
to the greater absence of Hindu influence, and although 
nominally of the Mohammedan religion, have retained and 
incorporated with it not a little of their former super¬ 
stitions and customs. The second nation, the Javanese, 
are by far the most numerous, comprising nearly three- 
quarters of the entire population, and extending over 
the entire centre and east of the island, excepting the 
northern portion of the eastern peninsula. They are the 
most civilised and advanced of the native inhabitants, 
their civilisation having been early brought about by the 
wave of Hindu immigration which spread with rapidity 
over a country well cultivated and easy of access. The 
Madurese inhabit Madura and a great part of the eastern 
