. Island life; or, the phenomena and causes of insular faunas and floras, including a revision and attempted solution of the problem of geological climates. las^e of animal forms. The geolooicalstructure of Celebes is almost unknown. The extremity of thenorthern peninsula is volcanic ; while in the southern j)eninsulathere are extensive deposits of a crystalline limestone, in somejDlaces overlying basalt. Gold is found in the northern peninsulaand in the central mass, as well as iron, tin, and copj^er in smallcjuantities; so that there can be little doubt that the mountainranges of the interio
. Island life; or, the phenomena and causes of insular faunas and floras, including a revision and attempted solution of the problem of geological climates. las^e of animal forms. The geolooicalstructure of Celebes is almost unknown. The extremity of thenorthern peninsula is volcanic ; while in the southern j)eninsulathere are extensive deposits of a crystalline limestone, in somejDlaces overlying basalt. Gold is found in the northern peninsulaand in the central mass, as well as iron, tin, and copj^er in smallcjuantities; so that there can be little doubt that the mountainranges of the interior consist of ancient stratified rooks. It is not yet known whether Celebes is completely separatedfrom the surrounding islands by a deep sea, but the facts at ourcommand render it probable that it is so. The northern andeastern portions of the Celebes Sea have been ascertained to befrom 2,000 to 2,600 fathoms deep, and such depths may extend CHAP. XX.] CKLHBKS. 423 over a coosiderable portion of it, or eviii bo imich exceedod inthe centre. In the Mohux^a ])assage a single sounding on theGilolo side gave 1,200 fathoms, and a large ])art of the Molucca. MAP OK CELKBKS AND TIIK SlRR()lNI>IN(i ISLANDS. The flc])th of sea is shown by three tints: the li;,htest iiidicatinfr less 100 theiiiediuin tint less than fathoms, and the dark tint more than fathoms. Tlietiynres show depths in fathoms. and Banda Seas probably exceed 2,000 fathonis. The southernportion of the Straits of Macassar is full of coral reefs, and ashallow sea of less than 100 f^ithonis extends from Borneo to 424 ISLAND LIFE. [part ii. within about forty miles of tiie western promontory of Celebes;but farther north there is deep water close to the shore, and itseems probable that a deep channel extends quite through thestraits, which have no doubt been much shallowed by the depositsfrom the great Bornean rivers as well as by those of Celebesitself. Southward again, the chain of volcanic i
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Keywords: ., bookauthorwallacealfredrussel18, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880
