THE ARU ISLANDS. 



375 



I procured two guides, a boy and a man, and promised them 

 a florin for every Bird of Paradise that I shot. I had previously 



HEAD OF A SOUTH AMERICAN BIRD ABROH', 

 IN THE CHRISTY COLLECTION. 



HEAD OF AN ARROW USED FOR SHOOTING BIRDS 

 OF PARADISE IN THE ARC ISLANDS. 



been in pursuit of the birds at Wokan, but they were not so 

 common there, and I believe that the native guides did not exert 

 themselves to show us the birds, as they no doubt regard them 

 more or less as property, and a source of wealth. 



My first acquaintance with the great Bird of Paradise (Para- 

 disea apocla) was at Wokan. I was making my way through 

 the forest with a guide in the very early morning, when a flock 

 of birds flew by in the misty light, passing right over my head. 

 They flew like a flock of Jackdaws somewhat, and I was disgusted 

 to realize, when too late, that they were a flock of the very birds 

 I was in search of. I did not fire for fear of disturbing the 

 woods. I heard them cry soon after " wauk, wauk/' but could 

 not come up with them. 



At Wanumbai with my guides, I first encountered a number 

 of Fruit-Bats, which were on the wing in the early morning, and 



