4 INTRODUCTION. 



esis of Mr. A. E. Wallace, founded on the former meager knowledge 

 of the Philippine fauna, that the islands were oceanic, and never 

 had a connection with the continent. 



The relationship of the tamarou with the anoa of Celebes, and 

 the general similarity of the Philippine and Celebes birds and 

 mammals, especially the latter, would seem to point to a former 

 connection with that island, and the ancient existence of a Celebes- 

 Philippine continent lying outside of Java and Borneo. 



Over fifty supposed new species of birds and mammals were 

 discovered by the expedition, and are here briefly described. This 

 work is necessarily more or less imperfect and faulty from the lack 

 of the complete literature of the subject, as well as from the lack 

 of large collections of Philippine birds in this country with which 

 to compare those in our hands. It is hoped, however, that the re- 

 sults of our labor will be found to make a real and valuable addi- 

 tion to the knowledge of this interesting group of islands. 





