972 DR. C. I, FORSYTH MAJOR ON A [Dec. 1, 
behind what of supposed interest came into my way, I chiefly 
limited myself to the collecting of Mammals, which, with a little 
training of the natives, came in, later on, in such abundance, that 
we often found it impossible to master all the work. This is also 
the reason why I shall refer this evening, so far as the recent 
fauna is concerned, almost exclusively to Mammals, leaving to 
my friends to make such additions as they may think proper 
when all the material has been distributed. 
My first collection from Ivohimanitra was to be conveyed to 
Ambohimanga, the capital of this part of the Tanala country, 
and from there to be sent to the coast, in accordance with previous 
arrangements with the Norwegian Missionary stationed at Ambo- 
himanga. We ourselves had to escort our things to the latter 
place, but after all, owing to the breaking out of the war, no goods 
could be sent from there to the coast; so that I was obliged to 
carry back, farther in the interior, what I could, leaving part of 
the things, for want of bearers, at the Mission Station. 
The Betsileo town of Ambositra, on the central plateau, proved 
subsequently to be a favourable central place for the forwarding of 
my collections, and thither I resorted from the forest, and in the 
sequel more than once from Sirabé, having generally myself to 
accompany the caravans. The final packing of the collections was 
mostly effected at Ambositra, and had always to be done with the 
greatest care ; I have no reason to complain of the great amount 
of time employed in packing. In the intervals of these occupa- 
tions some good collecting work was carried on at Ambositra as 
well. Finally, in March, I left Ambositra for Sirabé, to learn only 
then, from the Rey. Mr. Rosaas, the discoverer of the fossil bones 
at Sirabé, who had himself been collecting in the marshes for 
over 20 years, that it would be impossible to excavate in the 
marshes for the next following months, on account of the great 
quantity of water. This proved to be true, so I had to content 
myself for the beginning with the exploration of a small cave, and 
to set to work again at collecting the recent fauna of the neigh- 
bourhood, with satisfactory results in both directions. The cavern 
yielded some bird-remains and egg-shells of Apyornis, but chiefly 
small mammals. This exploration I have come to consider an 
interesting complement to the subsequent excavations in the 
marshes ; although, as was to be expected, I subsequently found 
still existing in different parts of the forest most of the new 
Mammals discovered in the cave. 
Different attempts to begin a systematic exploration of the 
marshes had always to be abandoned again, partly on account of the 
season and partly on account of the unfriendly behaviour of the 
population. Finally, losing patience, I left Sirabé, crossed over 
the whole central plateau to the east, and settled in the forest 
at Ampitambé, on the border of the Betsimisaraka country, in 
the hopes to hear soon of the arrival in Antananarivo of the 
French column aud of the end of the war. It happened 
otherwise, however. My collecting work at Ampitambé proved 
