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Show 972 DR. C. I. FORSYTH MAJOR ON A [Dec. 1, behind what of supposed interest came into my way, I chiefly limited myself to the collecting of Mammals, which, with a little training of the natives, came in, later on, in such abundance, that we often found it impossible to master all the work. This is also the reason why I shall refer this evening, so far as the recent fauna is concerned, almost exclusively to Mammals, leaving to my friends to make such additions as they may think proper when all the material has been distributed. M y first collection from Ivohimanitra was to be conveyed to Arnbohimanga, the capital of this part of the Tanala country, and from there to be sent to the coast, in accordance with previous arrangements with the Norwegian Missionary stationed at Arnbohimanga. W e ourselves had to escort our things to the latter place, but after all, owing to the breaking out of the war, no goods could be sent from there to the coast; so that I was obliged to carry back, farther in the interior, what I could, leaving part of the things, for want of bearers, at the Mission Station. The Betsileo town of Ambositra, on tbe central plateau, proved subsequently to be a favourable central place for the forwarding of my collections, and thither I resorted from the forest, and in the sequel more than once from Sirabe, having generally myself to accompany the caravans. The final packing of the collections was mostly effected at Ambositra, and had always to be done with the greatest care ; I have no reason to complain of tbe great amount of time employed in packing. In the intervals of these occupations some good collecting work was carried on at Ambositra as well. Finally, in March, I left Ambositra for Sirabe, to learn only then, from tbe Rev. Mr. Rosaas, the discoverer of the fossil bones at Sirabe, who had himself been collecting in the marshes for over 20 years, that it would be impossible to excavate in the marshes for the next following months, on account of the great quantity of water. This proved to be true, so I had to content myself for the beginning with tbe exploration of a small cave, and to set to work again at collecting the recent fauna of the neighbourhood, with satisfactory results in both directions. The cavern yielded some bird-remains and egg-shells of AEpgornls, but chiefly small mammals. This exploration I have come to consider an interesting complement to the subsequent excavations in the marshes ; although, as was to be expected, I subsequently found still existing in different parts of the forest most of the new Mammals discovered in the cave. Different attempts to begin a systematic exploration of the marshes had always to be abandoned again, partly on account of the season and partly on account of the unfriendly behaviour of the population. Finally, losing patience, I left Sirabe, crossed over the whole central plateau to the east, and settled in the forest at Ampitambe, on the border of the Betsimisaraka country, in the hopes to hear soon of the arrival in Antananarivo of the French column and of the end of the war. It happened otherwise, however. M y collecting work at Ampitambe proved |
