lt owing to the depredations of
this insect, as, even if the building itself were not in danger, no
one would care to risk the storage of goods inside. The destruction
caused by _anay_ is possibly exaggerated, but there is no doubt that
many traders have lost considerable sums through having had to realize,
at any price, wares into which this insect had penetrated.

Bats are to be seen in this Colony, measuring up to 5 feet from
tip to tip of their wings. They are caught for the value of their
beautiful soft skins, which generally find a sale to Europeans
returning home. Bat-shooting is a good pastime, and a novelty to
Europeans. Small Bats frequently fly into the houses in the evening.

Deer and _Wild Boars_ are plentiful, and afford good sport to the
huntsman. In Morong district--in Negros Island--and in Rizal Province,
on and in the vicinity of the estate which I purchased--I have had
some good runs. Monkeys, too, abound in many of the forests. In all
the islands there is enjoyment awaiting the sportsman. Pheasants,
snipe, a dozen varieties of wild pigeons, woodcock, jungle-fowl
(_gallus bankiva_), wild ducks, water-fowl, etc. are common, whilst
there are also turtle-doves, _calaos_ (_buceros hydrocorax_), hawks,
cranes, herons, crows, parrots, cockatoos, kingfishers, parroquets,
and many others peculiar to the Archipelago which I will leave to
ornithologists to describe. [160] One curious species of pigeon
(_calanas nicobarina_) is called in Spanish _Paloma de punalada_
because of the crimson feathers on its breast, which look exactly as if
they were blood-stained from a dagger-stab. [161] In 1898 I saw some
specimens of this pigeon in the Hamburg Zoological Gardens. There
are several birds of gorgeous plumage, such as the _oropendolo_
(Spanish name).

It is a curious fact that these Islands have no singing birds.

The _Locust Plague_ is one of the great risks the planter has to
run. In 1851 the Government imported some _Martins_ from China with
the hope of exterminating the locusts. When the birds arrived in
the port of Manila they were right royally received by a body of
troops. A band of music accompanied them with great ceremony to Santa
Mesa, where they were set at liberty, and the public were forbidden
to destroy them under severe penalties. At that date there were
countless millions of locusts among the crops. These winged insects
(Tagalog, _balang_) come in swarms of millions at a time, and how
to exter