The Military Library at Manila. 343 



far less in its bibliographic treasures, than in a small collec- 

 tion of objects illustrative of natural history, of which the 

 first beginning had been made but a few months before our 

 arrival. It deserves the more notice that it was not the 

 project of a professed naturalist, but solely of an '' aficimado," 

 or friend to scientific inquiry, Colonel Miguel Creus. Al- 

 though very deficient, still the bare experiment has paved 

 the way to a better and more complete collection, which at 

 present comprises, besides about 100 species of birds and a 

 few mammalia, a number of objects illustrative of ethnogra- 

 phy, geological specimens, and the various manufactures and 

 natural products of the Archipelago (among which are 37 

 species of rice). Considering the natural resources of this 

 Archipelago, (some of which, especially the Conchylia,* far 

 surpass in richness of colom', beauty, and gracefulness of 

 form anything that has yet been met with in any part of the 

 globe,) the inauguration of this small collection may yet prove 

 the foundation of one of the most magnificent and marvellous 

 museums of natural history, provided the laudable intention 



in a most desolate, neglected condition. A hope was however expressed that in the 

 following year, 1859, members of the Society of Jesus would come from Europe to 

 settle in the PhiUppines, who would include among their other labours that of re- 

 building their own cloister. 



* The graceful elegance of the Conchylia brought from Manila is so remarkable 

 that an EngUsh ship captain, who, without a special knowledge of the matter, brought 

 on speculation a freight of mussels from the Philippines to Europe, not only made 

 by their sale an enormous profit, but even attained in consequence to a certain degree 

 of celebrity in the scientific world ! 



