32 



SNAKES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 



that these reports cover all of the deaths that actually occurred 

 during 1909 in the provinces listed. Undoubtedly many occur 

 among the hill peoples of northern and central Luzon that are 

 never brought to the attention of the municipal authorities. 



Table 2. — Showing relation of deaths to density of population.' 



" This is a combination of Tables A and B of Catanjal's work. 



From this table it appears that the largest number of deaths 

 occurs in the more thickly populated districts, especially in the 

 provinces v^here rice is raised to a large extent. 



Thus we find an average of 3.14 deaths for each 100,000 in- 

 habitants, and an average of 1 death for each 340 square miles. 

 By applying these percentages to the entire population and to 

 the entire territory of the Islands, we arrive at an approximate 

 number of deaths for the Islands. 



Taking the population in 1909 as 8,000,000 and the average 

 deaths per 100,000 at 3.14, the estimate for the Islands is 251 

 deaths annually. Based on the total area of the Islands, ap- 

 proximately 144,000 square miles, with one death for each 340 

 square miles, the larger estimate of 335 deaths is reached. Since 

 we observe from the table that the number of deaths appears 

 to be directly increased by density of population, an estimate 

 based on population is probably better than one based on ter- 

 ritory. 



Table 3 is a copy of Catanjal's Table E. and shows the 

 distribution of the snakes that caused the 86 deaths reported. 

 I quote the table in full. 



