Among the small groups of islands in the Java sea, the waterspouts are frequent, and not always accompanied by strong winds ; more than one is seen at a time, whereupon the clouds whence they proceed disperse, and the ends of the water spouts bending over finally cause them to break in the middle. They seldom last longer than five minutes. As they are going away, the bulbous tube, which is as palpable as thV. of a thermometer, becomes broader at the base, and little clouds, like steam from the pipe of a locomotilTe, are continually thrown off from the circumferene of the spout, and gradually the water is released, and the clouds whence the spout came again closes\its mouth.
Ginding is the name given to a land wind in East Java, occasioned by the S.E. monsoon blow ing right over the land through the gap at Kalakka, 1000 feet above the sea, between the Jyang and Tengger mountains, 8000 and high.
According to the traditions of the Javanese, Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lombok, and Sumbawa were all formerly united, and they give the dates of A.D. 1192, 1282, and 1350, but these are not to be received. The dividing line between Asiatic fauna and that of Australia must be drawn down the Straits of Macassar, and continued southwar through the Strait of Lombok between Lombok and Bali.
The wild sand coast of Bantam in Java is annually frequented by large numbers of turtles, where they have often to creep over nearly a quarter of a mile of the beach, to the dry and loose soil at the foot of the sand dunes. In their progress to and fro, they are attacked by parties of wild dogs, birds of prey, and even tigers.
Zoology.—In Java are species of Pteruthius, Arrenga, Myiophonus, Zoothera, Sturnopastor, and Estrelda.
Java has seven pigeons peculiar to itself ; a peacock ; also the green jungle cock ; two blue ground thrushes (Arrenga cyanea and Myiophonus flavirostris), the fine pink-headed dove (Ptilinopus porphyreus) ; three broad-tailed ground pigeons (Macropygia), and many other interesting birds found nowhere in the Archipelago out of Java.
The Gallus furcatus or green jungle fowl is common in Java ; also G. bankiva, Buceros lunatus, and Loriculus pusillus, a pretty little lorikeet, about four inches long. In the western districts of Java are the calliper butterfly, Charaxes Kadenii ; the elegant green and yellow Trogon, Harpactes Reinwardti; the gorgeous little minivet flycatcher, Peri Crocotus miniatus, which looks like a flame of fire among the bushes ; and the rare black and crimson oriole, Analcipus sanguino lentus. Java has the *Babirussa, the Boa son daicus, Ilylobates leuciscus, the Cercopithecus cynomolgus, Stenops Javanicus, Nycticebus tardi grades, Pteropus edulis, Pt. Javanicus.
The Papilio, arjuna has its wings covered with grains of golden green, and P. coon also occurs.
The amphitrite or sea-worm of Java lives in holes of the great solid madrepores. The gills of these lovely creatures are in the form of spiral ribbons of brilliant orange-green and blue. These gaudy plumes are alternately extruded and re tracted, and, seen through the pellucid water, present a very singular and beautiful appearance. —Cranfurd ; Fergusson ;Wallace; Bibnore; Logan.