按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ld form three great groups： one comprising Australia； Timor； and Tasmania； another New Guinea； with the islands from Bouru to the Solomon's group； and the third comprising the greater part of the Pacific Islands。
The relation of the New Guinea fauna to that of Australia is very close。 It is best marked in the Mammalia by the abundance of marsupials； and the almost complete absence of all other terrestrial forms。 In birds it is less striking； although still very clear； for all the remarkable old…world forms which are absent from the one are equally so from the other； such as Pheasants； Grouse； Vultures； and Woodpeckers； while Cockatoos； Broad…tailed Parrots； Podargi； and the great families of the Honeysuckers and Brush…turkeys； with many others； comprising no less than twenty…four genera of land…birds； are common to both countries； and are entirely confined to them。
When we consider the wonderful dissimilarity of the two regions in all those physical conditions which were once supposed to determine the forms of life…Australia； with its open plains； stony deserts； dried up rivers； and changeable temperate climate； New Guinea； with its luxuriant forests； uniformly hot； moist； and evergreenthis great similarity in their productions is almost astounding； and unmistakeably points to a common origin。 The resemblance is not nearly so strongly marked in insects； the reason obviously being； that this class of animals are much more immediately dependent on vegetation and climate than are the more highly organized birds and Mammalia。 Insects also have far more effective means of distribution； and have spread widely into every district favourable to their development and increase。 The giant Ornithopterae have thus spread from New Guinea over the whole Archipelago； and as far as the base of the Himalayas； while the elegant long…horned Anthribidae have spread in the opposite direction from Malacca to New Guinea； but owing to unfavourable conditions have not been able to establish themselves in Australia。 That country； on the other hand； has developed a variety of flower…haunting Chafers and Buprestidae； and numbers of large and curious terrestrial Weevils； scarcely any of which are adapted to the damp gloomy forests of New Guinea； where entirely different forms are to be found。 There are； however； some groups of insects； constituting what appear to be the remains of the ancient population of the equatorial parts of the Australian region； which are still almost entirely confined to it。 Such are the interesting sub…family of Longicorn coleoptera Tmesisternitae； one of the best…marked genera of Buprestidae Cyphogastra； and the beautiful weevils forming the genus Eupholus。 Among butterflies we have the genera Mynes； Hypocista； and Elodina； and the curious eye…spotted Drusilla； of which last a single species is found in Java； but in no other of the western islands。
The facilities for the distribution of plants are still greater than they are for insects； and it is the opinion of eminent botanists； that no such clearly…defined regions pan be marked out in botany as in zoology。 The causes which tend to diffusion are here most powerful； and have led to such intermingling of the floras of adjacent regions that none but broad and general divisions can now be detected。 These remarks have an important bearing on the problem of dividing the surface of the earth into great regions； distinguished by the radical difference of their natural productions。 Such difference we now know to be the direct result of long…continued separation by more or less impassable barriers； and as wide oceans and great contrast： of temperature are the most complete barriers to the dispersal of all terrestrial forms of life； the primary divisions of the earth should in the main serve for all terrestrial organisms。 However various may be the effects of climate； however unequal the means of distribution； these will never altogether obliterate the radical effects of long…continued isolation； and it is my firm conviction； that when the botany and the entomology of New Guinea and the surrounding islands become as well known as are their mammals and birds； these departments of nature will also plainly indicate the radical distinctions of the Indo…Malayan and Austro… Malayan regions of the great Malay Archipelago。
CHAPTER XL。
THE RACES OF MAN IN THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO。
PROPOSE to conclude this account of my Eastern travels； with a short statement of my views as to the races of man which inhabit the various parts of the Archipelago； their chief physical and mental characteristics； their affinities with each other and with surrounding tribes； their migrations； and their probable origin。
Two very strongly contrasted races inhabit the Archipelagothe Malays； occupying almost exclusively the larger western half of it； and the Papuans； whose headquarters are New Guinea and several of the adjacent islands。 Between these in locality； are found tribes who are also intermediate in their chief characteristics； and it is sometimes a nice point to determine whether they belong to one or the other race； or have been formed by a mixture of the two。
The Malay is undoubtedly the most important of these two races； as it is the one which is the most civilized； which has come most into contact with Europeans； and which alone has any place in history。 What may be called the true Malay races； as distinguished from others who have merely a Malay element in their language； present a considerable uniformity of physical and mental characteristics； while there are very great differences of civilization and of language。 They consist of four great； and a few minor semi…civilized tribes； and a number of others who may be termed savages。 The Malays proper inhabit the Malay peninsula； and almost all the coast regions of Borneo and Sumatra。 They all speak the Malay language； or dialects of it； they write in the Arabic character； and are Mahometans in religion。 The Javanese inhabit Java； part of Sumatra； Madura； Bali； and Bart of Lombock。 They speak the Javanese and Kawi languages； which they write in a native character。 They are now Mahometans in Java； but Brahmins in Bali and Lombock。 The Bugis are the inhabitants of the greater parts of Celebes； and there seems to be an allied people in Sumbawa。 They speak the Bugis and Macassar languages； with dialects； and have two different native characters in which they write these。 They are all Mahometans。 The fourth great race is that of the Tagalas in the Philippine Islands； about whom； as I did not visit those Islands； I shall say little。 Many of them are now Christians； and speak Spanish as well as their native tongue； the Tagala。 The Moluccan…Malays； who inhabit chiefly Ternate； Tidore； Batchian； and Amboyna； may be held to form a fifth division of semi…civilized Malays。 They are all Mahometans； but they speak a variety of curious languages； which seem compounded of Bugis and Javanese； with the languages of the savage tribes of the Moluccas。
The savage Malays are the Dyaks of Borneo； the Battaks and other wild tribes of Sumatra； the Jakuns of the Malay Peninsula； the aborigines of Northern Celebes； of the Sula island； and of part of Bouru。
The colour of all these varied tribes is a light reddish brown； with more or less of an olive tinge； not varying in any important degree over an extent of country as large as all Southern Europe。 The hair is equally constant； being invariably black and straight； and of a rather coarse texture； so that any lighter tint； or any wave or curl in it； is an almost certain proof of the admixture of some foreign blood。 The face is nearly destitute of beard； and the breast and limbs are free from hair。 The stature is tolerably equal； and is always considerably below that of the average European； the body is robust； the breast well developed； the feet small； thick； and short； the hands small and rather delicate。 The face is a little broad； and inclined to be flat； the forehead is rather rounded； the brows low； the eyes black and very slightly oblique； the nose is rather small； not prominent； but straight and well…shaped； the apex a little rounded； the nostrils broad and slightly exposed； the cheek…bones are rather prominent； the mouth large； the lips broad and well cut； but not protruding； the chin round and well…formed。
In this description there seems little to object to on the score of beauty； and yet on the whole the Malays are certainly not handsome。 In youth； however； they are often very good…looking； and many of the boys and girls up to twelve or fifteen years of age are very pleasing； and some have countenances which are in their way almost perfect。 I am inclined to think they lose much of their good looks by bad habits and irregular living。 At a very early age。 they chew betel and tobacco almost incessantly； they suffer much want and exposure in their fishing and other excursions； their lives are often passed in alternate starvation and feasting； idleness and excessive labour；and this naturally produces premature old age and harshness of features。
In character the Malay is impassive。 He exhibits a reserve； diffidence； and even bashfulness； which is in some degree attractive； and leads the observer to thinly that the