XII, D, 2 Muir: Derbidse of the Philippine Islands 51 



southern shore of Laguna de Bay. This lake is the largest body 

 of fresh water in the Archipelago and nearly cuts Luzon into 

 two portions, its western shore being about 15 kilometers from 

 Manila Bay and its eastern shore less than 30 kilometers from 

 the eastern coast. The mountain rises to the height of 1,143 

 meters, and its base covers an area of some 10,000 hectares; it 

 is of volcanic origin, but the only signs of volcanic activity at 

 present are a small, boiling-mud crater, on the northeast flank 

 of the mountain, and a series of hot mineral springs, along 

 the northern base, some of which arise at the edge of Laguna 

 de Bay and give the name to the town of Los Baiios. 



The mountains along the eastern coast hold back the moisture 

 of the winter monsoons, so that the western portion of the 

 island experiences considerable dryness from January to May; 

 Mount Maquiling is on the eastern edge of this dry district, 

 but its peak is high enough to support a wet forest. Mount 

 Banahao (some 2,300 meters high) is only 50 kilometers from 

 the former mountain and is well within the wet, eastern district. 

 The difference in the growth of vegetation in these two districts 

 is very great. 



The flora of Mount Maquiling has been investigated by Dr. 

 F. W. Foxworthy, of the Bureau of Forestry; by Dr. E, B. 

 Copeland, of the College of Agriculture; and by Dr. W. H. 

 Brown, of the Bureau of Science. There have been recorded 

 from the mountain 1,814 species of ferns and of flowering plants, 

 representing 164 families; 800 of these species are trees. Not 

 only are the plant species on the mountain remarkably numerous, 

 but the mixed nature of the vegetation in any one station is 

 also notable. 



As might have been expected, the rich and varied flora of the 

 mountain supports a rich insect fauna. Of the many species 

 that Professor Baker and his collector, Julian Valdez, have, al- 

 ready secured, only a small part has been identified or described. 



Few finer localities than Mount Maquiling could be found for 

 the establishment of a biological station; situated on the edge 

 of a large lake, with higher mountains in a different climatic 

 province within easy reach, this natural botanic garden should 

 be to the northv/estern portion of the triangular area compris- 

 ing the Malay Archipelago what Buitenzorg is to the south- 

 western portion. The College of Agriculture and the School 

 of Forestry are situated at the northeastern foot of the moun- 

 tain and form a center around which a biological station could 

 be formed. Although the facilities one finds at Buitenzorg are 



