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to figure the curious horned flies； and to Mr。 Pascoe I am indebted for a loan of two of the very rare Longicorns which appear in the plate of Bornean beetles。 All the other specimens figured are in my own collection。
As the main object of all my journeys was to obtain specimens of natural history； both for my private collection and to supply duplicates to museums and amateurs； I will give a general statement of the number of specimens I collected； and which reached home in good condition。 I must premise that I generally employed one or two； and sometimes three Malay servants to assist me； and for nearly half the time had the services of an English lad； Charles Allen。 I was just eight years away from England； but as I travelled about fourteen thousand miles within the Archipelago； and made sixty or seventy separate journeys； each involving some preparation and loss of time； I do not think that more than six years were really occupied in collecting。
I find that my Eastern collections amounted to：
310 specimens of Mammalia。 100 specimens of Reptiles。 8；050 specimens of Birds。 7；500 specimens of Shells。 13；100 specimens of Lepidoptera。 83；200 specimens of Coleoptera。 13；400 specimens of other Insects。
125；660 specimens of natural history in all。
It now only remains for me to thank all those friends to whom I am indebted for assistance or information。 My thanks are more especially due to the Council of the Royal Geographical Society； through whose valuable recommendations I obtained important aid from our own Government and from that of Holland； and to Mr。 William Wilson Saunders； whose kind and liberal encouragement in the early portion of my journey was of great service to me。 I am also greatly indebted to Mr。 Samuel Stevens （who acted as my agent）； both for the care he took of my collections； and for the untiring assiduity with which he kept me supplied； both with useful information and with whatever necessaries I required。
I trust that these； and all other friends who have been in any way interested in my travels and collections； may derive from the perusal of my book； some faint reflexion of the pleasures I myself enjoyed amid the scenes and objects it describes。
THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO。
CHAPTER I。
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY。
From a look at a globe or a map of the Eastern hemisphere； we shall perceive between Asia and Australia a number of large and small islands forming a connected group distinct from those great masses of land； and having little connection with either of them。 Situated upon the Equator； and bathed by the tepid water of the great tropical oceans； this region enjoys a climate more uniformly hot and moist than almost any other part of the globe； and teems with natural productions which are elsewhere unknown。 The richest of fruits and the most precious of spices are Indigenous here。 It produces the giant flowers of the Rafflesia； the great green…winged Ornithoptera （princes among the butterfly tribes）； the man…like Orangutan； and the gorgeous Birds of Paradise。 It is inhabited by a peculiar and interesting race of mankindthe Malay； found nowhere beyond the limits of this insular tract； which has hence been named the Malay Archipelago。
To the ordinary Englishman this is perhaps the least known part of the globe。 Our possessions in it are few and scanty； scarcely any of our travellers go to explore it； and in many collections of maps it is almost ignored； being divided between Asia and the Pacific Islands。 It thus happens that few persons realize that； as a whole； it is comparable with the primary divisions of the globe； and that some of its separate islands are larger than France or the Austrian Empire。 The traveller； however； soon acquires different ideas。 He sails for days or even weeks along the shores of one of these great islands； often so great that its inhabitants believe it to be a vast continent。 He finds that voyages among these islands are commonly reckoned by weeks and months； and that their several inhabitants are often as little known to each other as are the native races of the northern to those of the southern continent of America。 He soon comes to look upon this region as one apart from the rest of the world； with its own races of men and its own aspects of nature； with its own ideas； feelings； customs； and modes of speech； and with a climate； vegetation； and animated life altogether peculiar to itself。
From many points of view these islands form one compact geographical whole； and as such they have always been treated by travellers and men of science； but； a more careful and detailed study of them under various aspects reveals the unexpected fact that they are divisible into two portions nearly equal in extent which differ widely in their natural products； and really form two parts of the primary divisions of the earth。 I have been able to prove this in considerable detail by my observations on the natural history of the various parts of the Archipelago； and； as in the description of my travels and residence in the several islands I shall have to refer continually to this view； and adduce facts in support of it； I have thought it advisable to commence with a general sketch of the main features of the Malayan region as will render the facts hereafter brought forward more interesting； and their bearing upon the general question more easily understood。 I proceed； therefore； to sketch the limits and extent of the Archipelago； and to point out the more striking features of its geology； physical geography； vegetation； and animal life。
Definition and Boundaries。For reasons which depend mainly on the distribution of animal life； I consider the Malay Archipelago to include the Malay Peninsula as far as Tenasserim and the Nicobar Islands on the west； the Philippines on the north； and the Solomon Islands； beyond New Guinea； on the east。 All the great islands included within these limits are connected together by innumerable smaller ones； so that no one of them seems to be distinctly separated from the rest。 With but few exceptions all enjoy an uniform and very similar climate； and are covered with a luxuriant forest vegetation。 Whether we study their form and distribution on maps； or actually travel from island to island； our first impression will be that they form a connected whole； all the parts of which are intimately related to each other。
Extent of the Archipelago and Islands。The Malay Archipelago extends for more than 4；000 miles in length from east to west； and is about 1；300 in breadth from north to south。 It would stretch over an expanse equal to that of all Europe from the extreme west far into Central Asia； or would cover the widest parts of South America； and extend far beyond the land into the Pacific and Atlantic oceans。 It includes three islands larger than Great Britain； and in one of them； Borneo； the whole of the British Isles might be set down； and would be surrounded by a sea of forests。 New Guinea； though less compact in shape； is probably larger than Borneo。 Sumatra is about equal in extent to Great Britain； Java； Luzon； and Celebes are each about the size of Ireland。 Eighteen more islands are； on the average； as large as Jamaica； more than a hundred are a