6OO MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS 



several shrimps, and a number of edible sea snails are 

 products of considerable local importance. 



Ambergris. A small amount of ambergris is picked 

 up now and then, and in 1912 some 40 lb., worth locally 

 about 800, were exported, presumably to Singapore. 



Other Animal Products. 



Beeswax and Honey. Beeswax to the value of over 

 7,000 was exported, almost entirely to the British East 

 Indies, during the past year. Domesticated bees from 

 Hawaii and Guam have recently been established by the 

 Bureau of Agriculture. Wild honey enters into local 

 trade to a considerable extent but not sufficiently to 

 supply the demand. 



Silk. The Bureau of Science has at present a Philip- 

 pine race of the Bengal-Ceylon silkworm, and this 

 special breed is so well acclimatized here now that nine 

 broods can be reared in a year. Stringent quarantine 

 regulations have thus far kept out the European diseases 

 and everything appears to be favourable for the success 

 of the industry. The Bureau of Agriculture has intro- 

 duced numerous varieties of mulberries, some of them 

 being great improvements over the old Spanish variety 

 which until last year was alone in evidence. 



Guano. Both sea-bird and bat guanos are of local 

 importance though it is not likely that any export will 

 be made in the near future. Much difficulty is experi- 

 enced, however, in obtaining non-leached guano in the 

 bat caves. It is, of course, impossible to control the 

 drip of water; moreover, the bats are liable to leave a 

 cave if any great changes are made in their " roosts." 



Birds' Nests. The province of Palawan could export 

 considerable quantities of the sea swallow nests; the 

 demand in Canton and Hong Kong is always good. 



Colugo Fur. A few hundreds of these beautiful skins 

 are exported, mostly to France, every season. The 

 greyish, brownish, or blackish marbled and mottled hair 

 is very thick, and as soft as eiderdown or chinchilla; 

 it is said to be used principally in making up very hand- 

 some, if rather expensive, " boas " for the Parisian 

 modes. The animal itself is rare outside the island of 

 Bohol. 



