THE ADMIRALTY ISLANDS. 479 



feathers worn as a head-dress from one native. Fowls must 

 therefore exist in the islands somewhere, but are probably scarce, 

 as only this one plume was seen. 



With regard to the Zoology of the islands, two species of 

 Fruit-Bats (Pteropince) , and an Opossum (Cuscus), were pro- 

 cured. A Dugon and a Dolphin are also killed by the natives. 

 Of birds the most abundant are the Fruit-Pigeons (Carpophaga 

 Rhodinolmma), which feed upon the Wild Coffee and Nutmegs, 

 and roost in vast numbers upon one of the small outlying 

 islands. We saw or procured about 28 other species of birds, 

 including two Eagles, a Lory, and a Kingfisher, many of which 

 appear nearly allied to, or identical with those of the Echiquier 

 Islands. They have been described by Mr. P. L. Sclater, F.Pt.S., 

 who finds several new species amongst them.* 



Small Tree-Swifts (Golloccdia) fly about amongst the Cocoa- 

 nut-trees, and all day flocks of Terns and Noddies {Sterna 

 hmata, Anous), follow in the still waters within the reefs the 

 shoals of Skipjacks (Caranx), as they pursue the smaller fish. 

 The shores are inhabited by several species of Shore birds. I 

 saw on the main island a scarlet and black Parrot or Cockatoo 

 of some kind, which flew out of some high trees on the sea- 

 shore, screaming loudly, like a Cockatoo. The bird was wary, 

 and I could not get a shot at it. It reminded me at the time of the 

 rare Dasyptilus pequetti of New Guinea ; it was of about that 

 size. Of Eeptiles, there are two species of Turtle common here, 

 Chelone midas and C. imbricata, the latter the source of the prin- 

 cipal article of barter of the natives, tortoiseshell. In the swamp 

 pools is a species of Crocodile, of which the natives are in great 

 dread. There are also at least one species of Land and one of 

 Sea Snakes (ffydrophidce), and the natives showed themselves 

 acquainted with danger of handling Snakes. A Gecko and 

 blue-tailed Lizard (Euprcpes cyanurct) are also present and 

 abundant. 



I was interested in watching the Skipjacks chase small 

 shoals of young Garfish (Belone). The little Garfish hotly pur- 

 sued, dashed out of the water, and by violent lashing of their 



* P. L. Sclater, " On the Birds of the Admiralty Islands," Proc. 

 Zool. Soc, June 19th, 1877. 



