east, north-east, and north-west coasts, hut appears to
he chiefly confined to the low and swampy forests. It
seems, at first sight, very inexplicable that the Mias
should he quite unknown in the Sarawak valley, while it
is abundant in Sambas, on the west, and Sadong, on the
east. But when we know the habits and mode of life of
the animal, we see a sufficient reason for this apparent
anomaly in the physical features of the Sarawak district.
In the Sadong, where I observed it, the Mias is only found
when the country is low level and swampy, and at the
same time covered with a lofty virgin forest. From
these swamps rise many 'isolated mountains, on some of
which the Dyaks have settled, and covered with plantations
of fruit trees. These are a great attraction to the
Mias, which comes to feed on the unripe fruits, but always
retires to the swamp at night. Where the country becomes
slightly elevated, and the soil dry, the Mias is no longer
to be found. For example, in all the lower part of the
Sadong valley it abounds, but as soon as we ascend above
the limits of the tides, where the country, though still flat,
is high enough to be dry, it disappears. Now the Sarawak
valley has this peculiarity—the lower portion • though
swampy is not covered with continuous lofty forest, but is
principally occupied by the Nipa palm; and near the town
of Sarawak where the country becomes dry, it is greatly
undulated in many parts, and covered with small patches
■of virgin forest, and much second-growth jungle on ground
■which has once been cultivated by the Malays or Dyaks.
Now it seems to me probable, that a wide extent of
■unbroken and equally lofty virgin forest is necessary to
■the comfortable existence of these animals. Such forests
■form their open country, where tliey can roam in every
■direction with as much facility as the Indian on the
■prairie, or the Arab on the desert; passing from tree-top
■to tree-top without ever being obliged to descend upon
■the earth. The elevated and the drier districts are more
■frequented by man, more cut up by^ clearings and low
■second-growth jungle not adapted to its peculiar mode of
■progression, and where it would therefore be more exposed
■ o danger, and more frequently obliged to descend upon
■the earth. There is probably also a greater variety of
B ru it in the Mias district, the small mountains which
■Hr-ise like islands out of it serving as a sort of gardens or
■[fixations, where the trees of the uplands are to be found
Sin the very midst of the swampy plains.
I It is a singular and very interesting sight to watch
9 a Mias making his way leisurely through the forest. He
■valks deliberately along some of the larger branches, in
® h e semi-erect attitude which the great length of his arms
» n d the shortness of his legs cause him naturally to
» ssum e ; and the disproportion between these limbs is
increased by his walking on his knuckles, not on the palm