Java is considered fairly healthy, but proper care must be taken to avoid the ex cessive heat of midday and the night air from the marshes. The temperature of the plains and- valleys is during the day from 85° to 94° F., and during the night from 73° to 80°. The mean temperature at Batavia is 78.69° F. At an elevation of 6,000 feet the thermometer de scends to 60°, while the tops of the highest peaks are often covered with ice but no snow falls. The breezes from the water modify the temperature. There are two seasons; the dry from April to October, and the rainy season from October to April. During the rainy sea son there is an almost continuous rainfall except for a short time in the morning. The annual rainfall is about 80 inches. The island is not subject to storms which injure life or property, but near the high mountains there are fre quent thunder storms.
Geology—Java is formed mainly of ter tiary, though partly of post-tertiary strata; but by volcanic action the arrangement has been much disturbed. Rocks containing fossil in vertebrates are common, but the fossils of ver tebrates have not been discovered. There are no metallic veins of sufficient length or depth to be profitable for mining; the Bantam coal mines, in the northwestern part of the island, yield only lignite; sulphur, naphtha and asphalt are found in several places, and small quanti ties of salt, saltpeter and magnese. Limestone and marble are in the southern part. Its min erals, with the exception of tin, are not consid ered of sufficient value to be classed among its natural wealth-producing resources.
With a temperature ranging from 94° to the freezing-point, a volcanic soil plenteously watered naturally and artificially, it is not surprising that Java should be of aston nishing fertility; the range of its vegetation naturally follows that of its temperature, from the palms of the tropics to the mosses of the temperate zone. The coast is fringed with coconut trees; behind them the ground rises gently to the foot of the mountain chain, and is completely cultivated. Vast fields of rice, arti ficially watered, distributed amphitheatrewise on the flanks of the hills, yield often three harvests annually. In the same altitude are found the cotton plant, the mangoes, sugar-cane, indigo, palm-trees and other tropical vegetation. Higher up than the rice-fields the bases of the mountains are covered with vast forests of the fig-tree tribe of different species, remarkable for their great height and vigorous growth. Tea, coffee, fruits, cinchona, sandalwood, ma hogany, camphor, rattan and many other forms of vegetation are found in this altitude of from 2,000 to 4,000 feet. These are followed still higher up by the plane-like liquid ambars, with their erect stems covered with parasites, also rattans and Rubiaceot, the latter of numerous species, some of them exhaling a very foetid odor. Along the upper limits of the liquidambers, about 4,000 feet above the sea, lofty trees are still plentiful; here may be seen Podocarpus cupressw, with its lofty straig,ht stem, a tree allied to the yew, and furnishing the best timber in Java; the Dammar pine, rho dodendrons, laurels of numerous species, chest, nuts, oaks and several others, magnolias, myr tles, tobacco, maize, potatoes and other vegeta tion common to the temperate zones. About
7,000 feet high the vegetation changes its as pect, and mosses appear, which, with heaths, are the principal plants found on the loftier ele vations. Before leaving the natural vegetation the famed poison-tree, the chettik or upas.(An tiorir toxicaria), may be named as a noted Japanese plant. The vast forests likewise claith notice; they are 791 in number, and cover a very extensive surface in 13 of the provinces, and consist mainly of teak. To prevent the waste which was going on, the government has placed them under superintendence, and draws from them a large amount of revenue.
Including domestic and marine animals 100 kinds of mammalia inhabit Java. In the west part the one-horned rhinoceros is not uncommon; and in the higher districts the royal tiger, panther and tiger-cat keep the in habitants in constant alarm by their depreda tions. The babiroussa and two kinds of wild hog form the large game of the island. There are only two species of the ape kind, but they people the forests in countless numbers. Two kinds of lemurs inspire the inhabitants with superstitious fear by their mysterious noc turnal habits; and this island may be esteemed the native seat of the largest bats, some of which measure five feet across the wings. They may be seen suspended from the branches in hundreds during the day, and atnight they devastate the orchards and gardens. Two civets are common and supply a perfume of which the Javanese are passionately fond; the wild ox abounds in the woods; and the buffalo is the only animal used in agricultural labor. The horses are small, but vigorous, and, as in India, are not used for agricultural purposes. Two species of wild dogs and species of deer are found here. Among the domestic animals are the buffalo, ox, horse, goat and sheep. The ornithology of Java is rich 'and varied, both in genera and in species. About 300 species of land birds have been found on the island, among them the peacock, partridge, quail, 10 different species of pigeon, 11 species of heron, two of cuckoo, the woodpeckers, the black and crimson oriole, the hornbill, eagle, owl, the brilliant look. ing and appropriately named minaret flycatcher, the aswifto (q.v.), and the minor bird so apt in learning to mimic human speech is common. Almost all the known generic groups of rapa cious birds are found here in great numbers; and gallinaceous fowls are plentiful. A variety of reptiles are found on the island, among them the python. Insects cover the grounds and plants in countless numbers; but few are dis tinguished for brilliancy or variety of color, or are remarkable in form. Fish are plentiful itt the rivers and along the coast; but those of the rivers are of inferior quality for food. Ex cellent oysters are abundant on the north coast, and prawns, from which a condiment called trasi is prepared, are considered delicious by the natives. Crocodiles from 20 to 30 feet in length inhabit the watercourses.