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| Vol. VIII 
Papers on Philippine Birds II. The Routine of a Collector’s Work 
BY RICHARD C. MCGREGOR 
T HE routine of collecting in the Philippine Islands is necessarily somewhat 
different from that pursued in more temperate climates. Aside from the 
effects of the greater humidity and the continuous heat there are many con- 
ditions very different from those familiar to the American collector. I have thought 
that an account of some of these might be of interest to my California friends. 
Collecting in any part of the Philippines, except near the larger towns, means 
camping minus the dirt and discomfort of a tent. Even on the smallest island, 
provided there is drinkable water present, the collector is able to find a house ad- 
mirably suited to his needs, cool in hot weather, dry during the rains, and always 
to be preferred to a tent owing to the elevation of its floor. Even if the collector 
pushes into the mountains of the larger islands, away from the towns, a house can 
be constructed in a very short time. The framework of the native-built house is 
fashioned from the bamboo, or where that is lacking small trees are utilized. Spikes 
and nails are not needed as rattan or other vines serve to tie the framework to- 
gether. A thick thatch of “cogon” grass or leaves of the nipa palm makes the 
house perfectly waterproof. 
Cooking gear and provisions must be taken from Manila since practically 
nothing can be purchased in such localities as the collector cares to visit. Except 
in Manila, Iloilo, Cebu, Zamboango, and a few other large cities no bread is made 
that a white man cares to eat and the natives who serve as camp-cooks know very 
little about making it. Potatoes are seldom worth the trouble of carrying into the 
field and none can be had away from markets. In a few localities the natives 
raise very good cainotes or sweet potatoes; in Mindoro I found them particularly 
fine. Rice takes the place of bread and potatoes with the islanders and I have 
found it convenient to use rice in the same way. 
Some fresh provisions can be purchased in most islands. Bananas can be 
bought at from five to fifteen cents per bunch and more rarely pineapples at from 
two to three cents each; fresh cocoanuts for the asking. The inhabitants of coast 
towns fish more or less and a considerable supply is often available. As we carry 
a seine we get river fish by our own efforts wherever they occur. Fresh meat, 
in the shape of chickens, is very scarce and usually quite out of the question. 
Filipinos will often trade when they will not sell. A supply of needles, thread, 
tools, quinine, and colored beads is always a safe addition to make when outfit- 
ting, as in barter these articles usually bring double their cost and go much better 
than cash. The people living in the smaller isolated islands are pitifully poor and 
are ill equipped with the tools and household utensils which we look upon as 
necessities. On my trip to Calayan Island I carried an ordinary hand saw costing 
a dollar in Manila; this I sold to a fellow for two dollars and within an hour he 
had sold it for two and a half. If I remember rightly this was the only saw in 
Calayan. 
To the fortunate possessor of a gun, the woods and marshes yield a sure sup- 
ply of game. When collecting there is no time for serious hunting, but some or 
all of the following birds may be killed on any of the islands with a little effort: 
hornbills, pigeons, megapodes, chickens, parrots, ducks, plover, snipe and rail. On 
the larger islands an occasional deer or wild hog adds variety to the bill of fare. 
As for clothing I have found the following rig satisfactory: a light-colored 
cloth hat, a light, loose, sleeveless shooting coat, a blue flannel shirt, kahki panta- 
