478 A NATURALIST ON THE "CHALLENGER." 



With regard to the population of the islands, I estimated that 

 the population of Wild Island was about 400 or 500, and that of 

 Dentrecasteaux Island about 250 or 300. This estimate for 

 these two small northern outliers has unfortunately been mis- 

 taken* for an estimate of the population of the entire group, 

 which may, perhaps, be conjectured to amount to about as many 

 natives for the same range of coast line all round the main 

 island. Jacobs describes the entire range of outlying islands 

 and part of the coast of the main island as inhabited and in 

 places densely so. 



The most remarkable fact about the Admiralty islanders is 

 that of their having no bows and arrows, slings, throwing sticks, 

 or throwing cords for their spears, no ulas, clubs, spears for hand- 

 to-hand fighting, and no shields. Many other Melanesians have 

 no bows and arrows, as the New Caledonian Loyalty Islanders, 

 and apparently the New Britain and New Ireland races, and the 

 same is the case with the natives of the south-east of New 

 Guinea ; bows and arrows seeming to commence on the coast 

 only at Humboldt Bay, but all seem to have slings or other 

 additional means of defence. 



The only domestic animals possessed by the natives of the 

 Admiralty Islands in any abundance are pigs. These are partly 

 kept in enclosures around the houses, partly run half wild over 

 the inhabited islands. The pigs are small, lean, and black 

 coloured, and appear never to develop large tusks. No orna- 

 ments of large pigs' tusks were seen in the possession of the 

 natives. If therefore, as I believe, from signs made by the 

 natives, is the case, there are wild pigs on the main island of 

 the group, they must be unlike the Papuan pigs in this respect, 

 and resemble more the New Hebrides breeds. Two Dogs were 

 seen on Wild Island. I saw one of these a puppy. It was 

 white, smooth haired, like a Fox Terrier in appearance, and very 

 like a dog that was in the possession of the natives at Humboldt 

 Bay. No dogs but these two were seen amongst the natives. 

 No Rats were seen on any of the islands. No Fowls were seen 

 in the possession of the natives, but I obtained a plume of cock's 



* Behm und Wagner. "Die Bevolkerung der Erde," V. Petermauu 

 Mittheiluiigen, 1878, s. 48. 



