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the malay archipelago-1-第83章

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s said never to inhabit places where there are deer。 It is somewhat smaller than a small Highland cow; and has long straight horns; which are ringed at the base and slope backwards over the neck。

The wild pig seems to be of a species peculiar to the island; but a much more curious animal of this family is the Babirusa or Pig… deer; so named by the Malays from its long and slender legs; and curved tusks resembling horns。 This extraordinary creature resembles a pig in general appearance; but it does not dig with its snout; as it feeds on fallen fruits。 The tusks of the lower jaw are very long and sharp; but the upper ones instead of growing downwards in the usual way are completely reversed; growing upwards out of bony sockets through the skin on each side of the snout; curving backwards to near the eyes; and in old animals often reaching eight or ten inches in length。 It is difficult to understand what can be the use of these extraordinary horn…like teeth。 Some of the old writers supposed that they served as hooks; by which the creature could rest its head on a branch。 But the way in which they usually diverge just over and in front of the eye has suggested the more probable idea; that they serve to guard these organs from thorns and spines; while hunting for fallen fruits among the tangled thickets of rattans and other spiny plants。 Even this; however; is not satisfactory; for the female; who must seek her food in the same way; does not possess them。 I should be inclined to believe rather; that these tusks were once useful; and were then worn down as fast as they grew; but that changed conditions of life have rendered them unnecessary; and they now develop into a monstrous form; just as the incisors of the Beaver or Rabbit will go on growing; if the opposite teeth do not wear them away。 In old animals they reach an enormous size; and are generally broken off as if by fighting。

Here again we have a resemblance to the Wart…hogs of Africa; whose upper canines grow outwards and curve up so as to form a transition from the usual mode of growth to that of the Babirusa。 In other respects there seems no affinity between these animals; and the Babirusa stands completely isolated; having no resemblance to the pigs of any other part of the world。 It is found all over Celebes and in the Sula islands; and also in Bourn; the only spot beyond the Celebes group to which it extends; and which island also shows some affinity to the Sula islands in its birds; indicating perhaps; a closer connection between them at some former period than now exists。

The other terrestrial mammals of Celebes are five species of squirrels; which are all distinct from those of Java and Borneo; and mark the furthest eastward range of the genus in the tropics; and two of Eastern opossums (Cuscus); which are different from those of the Moluccas; and mark the furthest westward extension of this genus and of the Marsupial order。 Thus we see that the Mammalia of Celebes are no less individual and remarkable than the birds; since three of the largest and most interesting species have no near allies in surrounding countries; but seem vaguely to indicate a relation to the African continent。

Many groups of insects appear to be especially subject to local influences; their forms and colours changing with each change of conditions; or even with a change of locality where the conditions seem almost identical。 We should therefore anticipate that the individuality manifested in the higher animals would be still more prominent in these creatures with less stable organisms。 On the other hand; however; we have to consider that the dispersion and migration of insects is much more easily effected than that of mammals or even of birds。 They are much more likely to be carried away by violent winds; their eggs may be carried on leaves either by storms of wind or by floating trees; and their larvae and pupae; often buried in trunks of trees or enclosed in waterproof cocoons; may be floated for days or weeks uninjured over the ocean。 These facilities of distribution tend to assimilate the productions of adjacent lands in two ways: first; by direct mutual interchange of species; and secondly; by repeated immigrations of fresh individuals of a species common to other islands; which by intercrossing; tend to obliterate the changes of form and colour; which differences of conditions might otherwise produce。 Bearing these facts in mind; we shall find that the individuality of the insects of Celebes is even greater than we have any reason to expect。

For the purpose of insuring accuracy in comparisons with other islands; I shall confine myself to those groups which are best known; or which I have myself carefully studied。 Beginning with the Papilionidae or Swallow…tailed butterflies; Celebes possesses 24 species; of which the large number of 18 are not found in any other island。 If we compare this with Borneo; which out of 29 species has only two not found elsewhere; the difference is as striking as anything can be。 In the family of the Pieridae; or white butterflies; the difference is not quite so great; owing perhaps to the more wandering habits of the group; but it is still very remarkable。 Out of 30 species inhabiting Celebes; 19 are peculiar; while Java (from which more species are known than from Sumatra or Borneo); out of 37 species; has only 13 peculiar。 The Danaidae are large; but weak…flying butterflies; which frequent forests and gardens; and are plainly but often very richly coloured。 Of these my own collection contains 16 species from Celebes and 15 from Borneo; but whereas no less than 14 are confined to the former island; only two are peculiar to the latter。 The Nymphalidae are a very extensive group; of generally strong…winged and very bright…coloured butterflies; very abundant in the tropics; and represented in our own country by our Fritillaries; our Vanessas; and our Purple…emperor。 Some months ago I drew up a list of the Eastern species of this group; including all the new ones discovered by myself; and arrived at the following comparative results:

           Species of  Species peculiar to      Percentage           Nymphalidae。    each island。     of peculiar Species。

Java 。 。 。 。 。 70 。 。 。 。 。 。 23 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 33 Borneo 。 。 。 。 52 。 。 。 。 。 。 15 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 29 Celebes  。 。 。 48 。 。 。 。 。 。 35 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 73

The Coleoptera are so extensive that few of the groups have yet been carefully worked out。 I will therefore refer to one only; which I have myself recently studiedthe Cetoniadae or Rose… chafersa group of beetles which; owing to their extreme beauty; have been much sought after。 From Java 37 species of these insects are known; and from Celebes only 30; yet only 13; or 35 percent; are peculiar to the former island; and 19; or 63 percent; to the latter。

The result of these comparisons is; that although Celebes is a single; large island with only a few smaller ones closely grouped around it; we must really consider it as forming one of the great divisions of the Archipelago; equal in rank and importance to the whole of the Moluccan or Philippine groups; to the Papuan islands; or to the Indo…Malay islands (Java; Sumatra; Borneo; 
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