Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-04-15
BIRDS, BEASTS, FORESTS
DR.. EDWORDS TELLS MORE INTEREST.
ING THINGS OF PHILIPPINES.
The Islands Abound in Beautiful Birds. in
Deer. Water Buffalo. Monkeys and Jun.
gle Fowl. Vast Sketches Of Valu-
able Timber.

Manila, P. l., April 0:-In the in
teresting variety of fora and fauna
the Philippines display the fact that
they are of volcanic origin. In the
Benguet mountain regions of the is
land of Luzon is found a cross billed
bird, the only one adapted to feed on
the seed of the pine found there. This
bird, belonging to the temperate zone,
was evidently driven south by glacial
changes. and in remote ages it left the
tropical lowlands for the more con-
genial mountains. There are 284
genera. embracing 69l species identi
fed birds on the islands, the number
of species being about the same as in
the United States. although the num-
ber of birds is small. Many species
are limited to single islands, and in
some instances to single mountains,
and so far as known exist nowhere else
in the world.
Two indigenous species of deer oc-
cur; one-a large, grayish, thick
bodied animal which abounds in mill
lions-is found in the forests and less
inhabited open places. The tiny
mouse deer and Japanese deer abound
in some places. The mouse deer is
about as large as an Italian gray
hound, and is most beautiful ami
NAL. Horses and Indian water buffa-
10. the carabao. have become wild.
Monkeys are found all over the is
lands by thousands. Other large
game are Jungle fowl and wild boars.
both of which breed freely with do
mestic varieties. On Mindora island
is found the timaru, or jungle buffalo,
an exceedingly wild and fierce ami
NAL, which affords much sport in
hunting, and which frequently hunts
the hunters. Pigeons, of which there
are forty-two species, some of which
exceed in size the ordinary chicken,
are found in great numbers. Preda-
tory animals are limited to small
wild cat, the boa constructor and the
crokodile. Fresh and salt water fish
are in numerous variety and the fish
ing industry is one of the greatest on
the islands.
A feature of the islands is the vast
forests which contain valuable hard
wood. embracing ebony. mahogonies
and other cabinet woods, besides a
large number unknown in the United
States. 1t is estimated that two
thirds of the archipelago are covered
with these forests, the value of which
is estimated at more than two billion
dollars. There is little commercial
use of the timber. and it is said that
the amount cut and turned into lum-
ber does not exceed one per cent of
the amount which annually goes to
waste through natural causes.
With the development of internal
means of transportation since Ameri-
can occupation there is increased in
terest in the lumber industry, and
when the contemplated railroads into
the center of the islands are COM
pleted. this vast amount of timber
will find it, way to market. On the
islands that are densely populated
there is little timber, but on some of
the islands nearly all the land is
covered with forests that will some
day supply the world with the finest
timber that is found on the globe.
u Several companies have been formed
to exploit the timber resources of the
islands. but with modern means of
converting the trees into lumber un-
available, these companies will con-
tent themselves with taking up large
areas of the forests and waiting the
day when the railways are completed
so they can haul their mills through
the dense underground to the places
where they can cut the timber and
get it to market.
Several beautiful woods that are
found in these forests are of a poison
ous variety and those who work mp
the lumber are afflicted with sores.
and in some instances they have be-
come depleted by the poison that they
have become either confirmed invalids
or have died from the effects. Many
small trees In Jfl66o IOr6StS are most
beautiful in their coloration. and they
also have delightful odor, which
lclipgs to the wood after it has been
made up into boxes and other small
cabinet articles. Numerous hsndker-
chief boxes are made and sold on the
islands. the wood in the boxes giving
to the handkerchiefs delightful per-
fume.
In my opinion there is nothing that
offers greater opportunity to the in
vestor than the timber of the islands,
for it is certain to be exceedingly
valuable some day in the near future
Companies can be formed and get con-
, cessions. or pay for the timber land
, outright. and then wait for a few
, years TO see their small investment
reach into millions of profit. Mining
| in the mountains is another industry
, that will be developed to wonderful
degree some time in the near future.