understand
what these changes probably were, we must give a brief sketch of the fauna
of Java, the peculiarities of which introduce a new element into the
question we have to discuss. {382}

JAVA.

The rich and beautiful island of Java, interesting alike to the politician,
the geographer, and the naturalist, is more especially attractive to the
student of geographical distribution, because it furnishes him with some of
the most curious anomalies and difficult problems in a place where such
would be least expected. As Java forms with Sumatra one almost unbroken
line of volcanoes and volcanic mountains, interrupted only by the narrow
Straits of Sunda, we should naturally expect a close resemblance between
the productions of the two islands. But in point of fact there is a much
greater difference between them than between Sumatra and Borneo, so much
further apart, and so very unlike in physical features.[90] Java differs
from the three great land masses--Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula,
far more than either of these do from each other; and this is the first
anomaly we encounter. But a more serious difficulty than this remains to be
stated. Java has certain close resemblances to the Siamese Peninsula, and
also to the Himalayas, which Borneo and Sumatra do not exhibit to so great
a proportionate extent; and looking at the relative position of these lands
respectively, this seems most incomprehensible. In order fully to
appreciate the singularity and difficulty of the problem, it will be
necessary to point out the exact nature and amount of these peculiarities
in the fauna of Java.

_General Character of the Fauna of Java._--If we were only to take account
of the number of peculiar species in Java, and the relations of its fauna
generally to that of the surrounding lands, we might pass it over as a less
interesting island than Borneo or Sumatra. Its mammalia (ninety species)
are nearly as numerous as those of Borneo, but are apparently less
peculiar, none of the genera and only five or six of the species being
confined to the island. In land-birds it is decidedly less rich, having
only 300 species, of which about forty-five are peculiar, and only one
{383} or two belong to peculiar genera; so that here again the amount of
speciality is considerably less than in Borneo. It is only when we proceed
to analyse the species of the Javan fauna, and trace their distribution and
affinities, that we discover its interesting