136 
PALAWAN. 
consists of some planks laid across the old kerosene-oil cases, over which I have slung my 
mosquito-net. 
23rd.—To-day I shot a beautiful little new Dicmurn (Prionochilus johannce); this bird is 
closely allied to the Malay species, but differs in having a yellow rump. Another species 
was a splendid Irena, with a light silvery-blue head and back and a jet-black breast and 
tail; this, like the preceding species,is peculiar to this island ( Irena tweedclalii). Another 
species I shot in the virgin forest belt near the sea was a reddish-brown and white Fly¬ 
catcher, also a new species (Sipliia erithacus). 
The Sulus are a great trouble in the store; directly I open any of my boxes they crowd 
round and want to handle everything they see, so I am forced to rise early in the mornings 
in order to arrange my baggage for our projected excursions inland. 
24th.—To-day Tungal brought in a green Pitta, P. sordida : this species is allied to 
P. muelleri of Borneo, but differs in having a large black patch in the centre of the stomach 
above the crimson; this very striking difference has been quite overlooked by the various 
naturalists who have written on this group—owing, perhaps, to the badly skinned specimens 
at their disposal. I collected two more Palawan species to-day, Criniger frater and Mixornis 
woodi. 
Up to this I have not given my readers a description of a tropical forest, but will noAv 
do my best to paint for them this picture. A tropical, primaeval forest, when it has not 
been interfered with by man, and where the soil is suitable, commences just above high- 
water mark; in places, as in Palawan, the branches hang right over the sea and are often 
covered with several species of orchids, which get sprinkled with salty spray, most noticeable 
amongst them being a handsome yellow, browm-spotted species. As seen from the sea the 
forest looks like a high green wall, sharply ruled off above and below by the blue sky and 
silvery sand, lightened here and there by a pale-coloured tree-trunk. On entering, the edge 
for a short distance is covered with a dense low growth; but this disappears entirely, from 
want of light and air, as soon as the trunks of the first high trees are reached. The first 
thing that strikes the visitor to this vegetable domain is the gloom, the absence of under¬ 
growth, and a peculiar smell of decaying vegetation. The trees, on looking up, it will be 
observed are free from branches until near their tops ; the trunks are straight and many com¬ 
paratively slender. Their combined crowns form a dense canopy, through wdiich the sun 
scarcely penetrates. The bark on these trees is generally smooth and tight-fitting, 
unlike our oaks and elms. No colour but the various shades of green is visible, flowers 
of any sort being seldom seen in this verdant roof. 
Most striking of all to visitors from temperate climes are the extraordinary forms of 
the numerous creepers and the trunks of the larger trees. 
The main effort of these creepers is to reach the top of this forest-roof, and this accounts 
for their wonderful length, and the same reason is the cause of the slender branchless trunks 
of the forest giants. The forest-roof is often over 200 feet above the ground, and if it were 
twice this height the creepers, to exist, would have to reach the top for light, air, and 
sustenance. These creepers, as Mr. Bates has remarked, “ are really climbing trees of most 
divergent genera,” their climbing habits being necessary for their very existence. These 
climbing trees fight “ tooth and nail,” clinging like serpents to the topmost branches of the 
