Menage Expedition to the Philippines 133 



L'nfortunatel}^ it was still the rainy season and we were in 

 consequence much hindered by the weather. 



We stayed there from September 27th to October 15th, work- 

 ing as nuich as the weather and our strength would permit, and 

 then started back to Manila. We started W^ednesday in order 

 to have plenty of time to catch the regular monthly boat leaving 

 Saturday for Capiz, the town in North Panay we wished to visit 

 next. We expected to reach Manila in twenty-four hours, thus 

 leaving us ample time to make all necessary preparations for 

 our projected five months' trip in the Central Islands. 



But we soon found that Philippine weather and Philippine 

 boats, especially of the casco variety, are not to be depended 

 on. A heavy storm drove us upon a rocky shore. The expe- 

 riences of the next three days were not pleasant, but we escaped 

 being wrecked, and reached Manila on Sunday morning, miss- 

 ing, as we supposed, the boat for Capiz. On our arrival how- 

 ever we were pleased to find that the same storm which had 

 delayed us had also delayed the steamer, but that she would sail 

 at three o'clock that afternoon. We had five short hours in 

 which to make our preparations, but succeeded in getting the 

 boat just as she was starting out. 



The results of our work in Luzon show very significantly that 

 much remains to be done in these Islands. Luzon is better 

 known from a geological point of view than any other island in 

 the group. One hundred and seventy-seven species of birds were 

 already recorded, yet during our short stay in a locality close 

 to Manila, which has been frequently visited by ornithologists, 

 we obtained eight species of birds not previously recorded from 

 that island. 



The total number of species obtained by us was sixty-one ; 

 the number of specimens, one hundred and seventy-one. We 

 also obtained a fine lot of alcoholic material. We shot the largest 

 iguana of which we have any knowledge. It has been stated 

 that these creatures never exceeed five feet in length, but the 

 specimen mentioned measures five feet and four inches. On 

 dissection two full grown chickens were found in its stomach. 

 A venomous snake nine feet and four inches in length, which we 

 shot, we have preserved in alcohol. 



We were disappointed in not finding land shells abundant, 



