130 Field Museum of Natural History — Anth., Vol. XII. 



The material here presented was gathered from the people of Labau, 

 the Malalag cogon, and those living near the headwaters of the Ma-al 

 and Padada rivers. 



Formerly a neutral, uninhabited belt extended between them and the 

 coast people, and at stated intervals they went to recognized trading 

 points in this territory to exchange their agricultural and forest products 

 for salt, fish, and other articles of barter. Beyond this trading and an 

 occasional fight, they had few dealings with the coast people and seem 

 never to have encountered the Spaniard. 



They are almost unknown to history, for aside from two or three 

 short accounts, 1 based mostly on hearsay, we find no mention of them. 

 The coast natives who knew them by name only had many stories con- 

 cerning their life and prowess, and one still hears that "the Bila-an are 

 of small stature but agile like monkeys. One may wander for days 

 through their territory without encountering a person and then when 

 in a bad place suddenly see the little people in hundreds swarming down 

 the sides of impassable cliffs. They are always in such numbers that, 

 while they use only the bow and arrow, they are almost sure to ex- 

 terminate the intruders." As a matter of fact, the Bila-an compare 

 in stature with the coast natives and differ little from them in color, 

 although a few individuals of decidedly lighter cast are met with. 



Observations were made on thirty-eight men, but no women could 

 be induced to submit to being measured. The maximum height of the 

 men was found to be 163.6 cm.; minimum 142.3 cm.; with an average 

 of 154.7 cm. The cephalic indices showed 87.8 cm. as the maximum; 

 74 cm. the minimum; and 80.4 cm. the average. The greatest length- 

 height index was 78.6 cm.; the minimum 62.4 cm. and the average 

 69.7 cm. From these measurements it appears that the Bila-an are 

 somewhat shorter than the Bagobo ; are more short headed, the majority 

 being brachycephalic; while the height from tragus to vertex is about the 

 same in both groups, and both have the crown and back of the head 

 strongly arched. The face 2 is absolutely shorter and relatively broader 

 than in the Bagobo. The forehead is usually high and full, but in 

 about one-third of the individuals measured it was moderately retreat- 

 ing, while in the same proportion the supra-orbital ridges were quite 

 strongly marked. In other features, as well as in hair form, eyes, 

 body form and color, this people conform to the description given of the 

 Bagobo (Plates XLJI-XLVIII). 



1 Blair and Robertson The Philippine Islands, Vol. XLIII, pp. 239, 282-283. 

 Census of the Philippine Islands, 1905. 



2 Measured from the chin to the hair of the forehead. 



