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other great Mammalia of Sumatra； the elephant and the rhinoceros； are more widely distributed； but the former is much more scarce than it was a few years ago； and seems to retire rapidly before the spread of cultivation。 Lobo Kaman tusks and bones are occasionally found about in the forest； but the living animal is now never seen。 The rhinoceros （Rhinoceros sumatranus） still abounds； and I continually saw its tracks and its dung； and once disturbed one feeding； which went crashing away through the jungle； only permitting me a momentary glimpse of it through the dense underwood。 I obtained a tolerably perfect cranium； and a number of teeth； which were picked up by the natives。
Another curious animal； which I had met with in Singapore and in Borneo； but which was more abundant here； is the Galeopithecus； or flying lemur。 This creature has a broad membrane extending all aound its body to the extremities of the toes； and to the point of the rather long tail。 This enables it to pass obliquely through the air from one tree to another。 It is sluggish in its motions； at least by day； going up a tree by short runs of a few feet； and then stopping a moment as if the action was difficult。 It rests during the day clinging to the trunks of trees； where its olive or brown fur； mottled with irregular whitish spots and blotches； resembles closely the colour of mottled bark； and no doubt helps to protect it。 Once； in a bright twilight； I saw one of these animals run up a trunk in a rather open place； and then glide obliquely through the air to another tree； on which it alighted near its base； and immediately began to ascend。 I paced the distance from the one tree to the other； and found it to be seventy yards； and the amount of descent I estimated at not more than thirty…five or forty feet； or less than one in five。 This I think proves that the animal must have some power of guiding itself through the air； otherwise in so long a distance it would have little chance of alighting exactly upon the trunk。 Like the Cuscus of the Moluccas； the Galeopithecus feeds chiefly on leaves； and possesses a very voluminous stomach and long convoluted intestines。 The brain is very small； and the animal possesses such remarkable tenacity of life； that it is exceedingly difficult to kill it by any ordinary means。 The tail is prehensile； and is probably made use of as an additional support while feeding。 It is said to have only a single young one at a time； and my own observation confirms this statement； for I once shot a female with a very small blind and naked little creature clinging closely to its breast； which was quite bare and much wrinkled； reminding me of the young of Marsupials； to which it seemed to form a transition。 On the back； and extending over the limbs and membrane； the fur of these animals is short； but exquisitely soft； resembling in its texture that of the Chinchilla。
I returned to Palembang by water； and while staying a day at a village while a boat was being made watertight； I had the good fortune to obtain a male； female； and young bird of one of the large hornbills。 I had sent my hunters to shoot； and while I was at breakfast they returned； bringing me a fine large male of the Buceros bicornis； which one of them assured me he had shot while feeding the female； which was shut up in a hole in a tree。 I had often read of this curious habit； and immediately returned to the place； accompanied by several of the natives。 After crossing a stream and a bog； we found a large tree leaning over some water； and on its lower side； at a height of about twenty feet； appeared a small hole； and what looked like a quantity of mud； which I was assured had been used in stopping up the large hole。 After a while we heard the harsh cry of a bird inside； and could see the white extremity of its beak put out。 I offered a rupee to anyone who would go up and get the bird out； with the egg or young one； but they all declared it was too difficult； and they were afraid to try。 I therefore very reluctantly came away。 About an hour afterwards； much to my surprise； a tremendous loud； hoarse screaming was heard； and the bird was brought me； together with a young one which had been found in the hole。 This was a most curious object； as large as a pigeon； but without a particle of plumage on any part of it。 It was exceedingly plump and soft； and with a semi…transparent skin； so that it looked more like a bag of jelly； with head and feet stuck on； than like a real bird。
The extraordinary habit of the male； in plastering up the female with her egg； and feeding her during the whole time of incubation； and until the young one is fledged； is common to several of the large hornbills； and is one of those strange facts in natural history which are 〃stranger than fiction。〃
CHAPTER IX。
NATURAL HISTORY OF THE INDO…MALAY ISLANDS。
IN the first chapter of this work I have stated generally the reasons which lead us to conclude that the large islands in the western portion of the ArchipelagoJava； Sumatra； and Borneoas well as the Malay peninsula and the Philippine islands； have been recently separated from the continent of Asia。 I now propose to give a sketch of the Natural History of these； which I term the Indo…Malay islands； and to show how far it supports this view； and how much information it is able to give us of the antiquity and origin of the separate islands。
The flora of the Archipelago is at present so imperfectly known； and I have myself paid so little attention to it； that I cannot draw from it many facts of importance。 The Malayan type of vegetation is however a very important one； and Dr。 Hooker informs us； in his 〃Flora Indica；〃 that it spreads over all the moister and more equable parts of India； and that many plants found in Ceylon； the Himalayas； the Nilghiri； and Khasia mountains are identical with those of Java and the Malay peninsula。 Among the more characteristic forms of this flora are the rattans climbing palms of the genus Calamus； and a great variety of tall； as well as stemless palms。 Orchids； Aracae； Zingiberaceae and ferns； are especially abundant； and the genus Grammatophyllum a gigantic epiphytal orchid； whose clusters of leaves and flower…stems are ten or twelve feet longis peculiar to it。 Here； too； is the domain of the wonderful pitcher plants （Nepenthaceae）； which are only represented elsewhere by solitary species in Ceylon； Madagascar； the Seychelles； Celebes； and the Moluccas。 Those celebrated fruits； the Mangosteen and the Durian； are natives of this region； and will hardly grow out of the Archipelago。 The mountain plants of Java have already been alluded to as showing a former connexion with the continent of Asia； and a still more extraordinary and more ancient connection with Australia has been indicated by Mr。 Low's collections from the summit of Kini…balou； the loftiest mountain in Borneo。
Plants have much greater facilities for passing across arms of the sea than animals。 The lighter seeds are easily carried by the winds； and many of them are specially adapted to be so carried。 Others can float a long tune unhurt in the water； and are drifted by winds and currents to distant shores。 Pigeons； and other fruit…eating birds； are al