84 Mr. J. Whitehead on Birds 



and round by sea to Manila. T myself resolved to ride over 

 the mountains, and in this way reached Manila again on the 

 28th of June. 



One interesting discovery made during this journey was 

 that the Manila Pine {Pinus insularis) does not grow on the 

 Monte Caballo, which mountain divides the provinces of 

 North and Central Luzon, so that the pine is probably 

 confined to the great North-western Cordillera, and with it 

 many of Luzon's most interesting birds. 



In Manila I dismissed two of my servants and engaged 

 two more — one of them a professional bird-skinner and 

 collector. This time we went to Albay, on the south-east 

 coast of Luzon, in order to avoid the rains, and we also 

 visited the adjacent island of Catanduanes, of which the 

 ornis was unknown. The island proved to be a part of 

 Luzon. The Albay trip was only a partial success, owing to 

 the time of year — it being the moulting-season. 



On our return to Manila (on the 2ud of October, 1894), 

 I at once began to prepare for an attack on the highest parts 

 of the grand Cordillera, to the north of Benguet. On 

 November 3rd I left Manila for Vigan, intending to work 

 my way up the Abra River, and, as the weather became more 

 settled, to explore the mountains of Lepanto. An interesting 

 collection was made at Bucay, on the Abra River, where I 

 remained some weeks. Thence began a weary tramp which 

 lasted six days, through an absolutely treeless country. I was 

 so ill with dysentery, and so depressed by the useless- looking 

 landscape, that I nearly turned back, and declared that 

 there was no forest in North Luzon. However, " every road 

 has an ending,^'' and one morning, while riding ahead of my 

 baggage, on rounding a steep cliff, I came in sight of the 

 oak- and pine-forests. We reached an Igorroti village the 

 same afternoon, in which I resolved to stay. Here I 

 remained several weeks, and from this village obtained my 

 first view of Monte Data. This mountain projects in a 

 westerly direction from the central range, is table-topped, 

 and averages about 7500 feet in height, rising at the eastern 

 end, as it joins the main range, to perhaps 9000 feet. The 



