PAPERS READ. ON THE VOLCANO OF TAAL. By the Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S., &c. (Plates XVIII and xix.) During my travels in the Philippine Islands I paid a visit to the active volcano of Taal, which, on account of its peculiarities, its situation and its long-continued activity, is certainly one of the most remarkable volcanoes of the world. It is situated amongst the Philippines, in the Island of Luzon, at no great distance from Manila, between N. lat. 13° 52', and 14° 7', and long, about 121° E. It is in the north-west portion of the province of Batangas, and almost due south of Manila. The bay of Manila which makes a deep indentation on the south end of Luzon, is succeeded after a short interval of coast line by the Seno de Balayan, a small bay, and separated from this by a narrow ridge of ash and coral sand, is a lake in the centre of which is the active ci'ater of Bombon or Taal. I propose in the following paper to give a statistical, geological and botanical account of this volcanic district, together with such particulars of its history as I have been able to collect from Spanish souixes. Literature. — The historical records of the Philippine Islands are very abundant. Most of the Missionary Ordei's have published annals of their religious enterprises, and have kept occasional chronicles of anything remarkable which occurred in their respec-tive missions. All these have been printed under their own auspices, and now form a voluminous library, in which it is easy to trace any event of importance since the Spaniards came into possession of the Philippine Islands. I believe there are no colonial possessions in the world in which the literature connected with the country is so extensive. U
BioStor
