the malay archipelago-1-第47节
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cord； and while he had been making these preparations； one of his companions had cut a strong creeper or bush…rope eight or ten yards long； to one end of which the wood…torch was fastened； and lighted at the bottom； emitting a steady stream of smoke。 Just above the torch a chopping… knife was fastened by a short cord。
The bee…hunter now took hold of the bush…rope just above the torch and passed the other end around the trunk of the tree； holding one end in each hand。 Jerking it up the tree a little above his head he set his foot against the trunk； and leaning back began walking up it。 It was wonderful to see the skill with which he took advantage of the slightest irregularities of the bark or obliquity of the stem to aid his ascent； jerking the stiff creeper a few feet higher when he had found a firm hold for his bare foot。 It almost made me giddy to look at him as he rapidly got upthirty； forty； fifty feet above the ground； and I kept wondering how he could possibly mount the next few feet of straight smooth trunk。 Still； however； he kept on with as much coolness and apparent certainty as if he were going up a ladder； until he got within ten or fifteen feet of the bees。 Then he stopped a moment； and took care to swing the torch （which hung just at his feet） a little towards these dangerous insects； so as to send up the stream of smoke between him and them。 Still going on； in a minute more he brought himself under the limb； and； in a manner quite unintelligible to me； seeing that both hands were occupied in supporting himself by the creeper； managed to get upon it。
By this time the bees began to be alarmed； and formed a dense buzzing swarm just over him； but he brought the torch up closer to him； and coolly brushed away those that settled on his arms or legs。 Then stretching himself along the limb； he crept towards the nearest comb and swung the torch just under it。 The moment the smoke touched it； its colour changed in a most curious manner from black to white； the myriads of bees that had covered it flying off and forming a dense cloud above and around。 The man then lay at full length along the limb； and brushed off the remaining bees with his hand； and then drawing his knife cut off the comb at one slice close to the tree； and attaching the thin cord to it； let it down to his companions below。 He was all this time enveloped in a crowd of angry bees； and how he bore their stings so coolly； and went on with his work at that giddy height so deliberately； was more than I could understand。 The bees were evidently not stupified by the smoke or driven away far by it； and it was impossible that the small stream from the torch could protect his whole body when at work。 There were three other combs on the same tree； and all were successively taken； and furnished the whole party with a luscious feast of honey and young bees； as well as a valuable lot of wax。
After two of the combs had been let down； the bees became rather numerous below； flying about wildly and stinging viciously。 Several got about me； and I was soon stung； and had to run away； beating them off with my net and capturing them for specimens。 Several of them followed me for at least half a mile； getting into my hair and persecuting me most pertinaciously； so that I was more astonished than ever at the immunity of the natives。 I am inclined to think that slow and deliberate motion； and no attempt at escape； are perhaps the best safeguards。 A bee settling on a passive native probably behaves as it would on a tree or other inanimate substance； which it does not attempt to sting。 Still they must often suffer； but they are used to the pain and learn to bear it impassively； as without doing so no man could be a bee…hunter。
CHAPTER XIV。
THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE TIMOR GROUP。
IF we look at a map of the Archipelago； nothing seems more unlikely than that the closely connected chain of islands from Java to Timor should differ materially in their natural productions。 There are； it is true； certain differences of climate and of physical geography； but these do not correspond with the division the naturalist is obliged to make。 Between the two ends of the chain there is a great contrast of climate； the west being exceedingly moist and leaving only a short and irregular dry season； the east being as dry and parched up； and having but a short wet season。 This change； however； occurs about the middle of Java； the eastern portion of that island having as strongly marked seasons as Lombock and Timor。 There is also a difference in physical geography； but this occurs at the eastern termination of the chain where the volcanoes which are the marked feature of Java； Bali； Lombock； Sumbawa； and Flores； turn northwards through Gunong Api to Banda； leaving Timor with only one volcanic peak near its centre； while the main portion of the island consists of old sedimentary rocks。 Neither of these physical differences corresponds with the remarkable change in natural productions which occurs at the Straits of Lombock； separating the island of that name from Bali； and which is at once so large in amount and of so fundamental a character； as to form an important feature in the zoological geography of our globe。
The Dutch naturalist Zollinger； who resided a long time on the island of Bali； informs us that its productions completely assimilate with those of Java； and that he is not aware of a single animal found in it which does not inhabit the larger island。 During the few days which I stayed on the north coast of Bali on my way to Lombock； I saw several birds highly characteristic of Javan ornithology。 Among these were the yellow…headed weaver （Ploceus hypoxantha）； the black grasshopper thrush （Copsychus amoenus）； the rosy barbet （Megalaema rosea）； the Malay oriole （Oriolus horsfieldi）； the Java ground starling （Sturnopastor jalla）； and the Javanese three…toed woodpecker （Chrysonotus tiga）。 On crossing over to Lombock； separated from Bali by a strait less than twenty miles wide； I naturally expected to meet with some of these birds again； but during a stay there of three months I never saw one of them； but found a totally different set of species； most of which were utterly unknown not only in Java； but also in Borneo； Sumatra； and Malacca。 For example； among the commonest birds in Lombock were white cockatoos and three species of Meliphagidae or honeysuckers； belonging to family groups which are entirely absent from the western or Indo…Malayan region of the Archipelago。 On passing to Flores and Timor the distinctness from the Javanese productions increases； and we find that these islands form a natural group； whose birds are related to those of Java and Australia； but are quite distinct from either。 Besides my own collections in Lombock and Timor； my assistant Mr。 Allen made a good collection in Flores； and these； with a few species obtained by the Dutch naturalists； enable us to form a very good idea of the natural history of this group of islands； and to derive therefrom some very interesting results。
The number of birds known from these islands up to this date is： 63 from Lombock； 86 from Flores； and 118 from Timor； and from the whole group； 188 species。 With the exception of two or three species which appear to have been derived from the Moluccas； all these birds can be traced； either directly or by close allies； to Java on the one side or to Australia on the other； although no less than 82 of them are found nowhere out of this small group of islands。 There is not； however； a single genus peculiar to the group； or even one which is largely represented in it by peculiar species； and this is a fact which indicates that the fauna is strictly derivative； and that its origin does not go back beyond one of the most recent geological epochs。 Of course there are a large number of species （such as most of the waders； many of the raptorial birds； some of the kingfishers； swallows； and a few others）； which range so widely over a large part of the Archipelago that it is impossible to trace them as having come from any one part rather than from another。 There are fifty…seven such species in my list； and besides these there are thirty…five more which； though peculiar to the Timor group； are yet allied to wide… ranging forms。 Deducting these ninety…two species； we have nearly a hundred birds left whose relations with those of other countries we will now consider。
If we first take those species which； as far as we yet know； are absolutely confined to each island； we find； in：
Lombock 4 belonging to 2 genera； of which 1 is Australian； 1 Indian。 Flores 12 〃 7 〃 5 are 〃 2 〃 Timor 42 〃 20 〃 16 are 〃 4 〃
The actual number of peculiar species in each island I do not suppose to be at all accurately determined； since the rapidly increasing numbers evidently depend upon the more extensive collections made in Timor than in Flores； and in Flores than in Lombock； but what we can depend more upon； and what is of more special interest； is the greatly increased proportion of Australian forms and decreased proportion of Indian forms； as we go from west to east。 We shall show this in a yet more striking manner by counting the number o
