16 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ZOOLOGY OF NEW GUINEA, 



A beautiful pigeon, Otidiphaps cervicalis, was found to be- 

 plentiful on the slopes of the range, making a second species of 

 this genus. It is very remarkable to observe how closely the 

 avi- fauna of the whole of New Guinea resembles that of Australia. 

 Bower-birds, cat-birds, paradise birds, pittas, hawks, owls, goat- 

 suckers and podargi, segotheles, swallows and swifts, parrots, 

 fly-catchers, pigeons, a host of genera, and many species are 

 common to both countries — while recently such genera as 

 Sericornis, Orthonyx, Climacteris, Sitella, Eurostopodus, Eopsalt 

 ria, Drymodes, Grallina, Aprosmictus, Micrseca, and others 

 supposed to be strictly Australian, have also been found there \ the 

 same may be said of the mammals, of which several genera, e.g., 

 Hydromys, Dasyurus and Antechinus, are common to both 

 countries. 



But to return to our recent acquisitions, I have received from 

 Mr. Wilson of Mason Bros, collections containing over 1,000 

 skins collected by Messrs. Rolles and Hunstein, and other 

 members of Mr. Goldie s party ; I have also been permitted to 

 examine a collection lately added to the extensive collection at 

 Elizabeth Bay, and from these sources, I have drawn up the 

 following list of species not recorded in my previous lists. T was 

 much pleased to find adult males of the beautiful Paradise Bird, 

 Drepanornis oVAlbertisi ; as least such we must call it until I 

 can make a careful comparison with the type, although taking the 

 description in detail, it does not altogether exactly agree with 

 Dr. Sclater's description of D'Albertis's original specimens. 



An interesting novelty occurs in a very distinct species of 

 Eurostopodus. I believe this is the first occurrence of the genus 

 on the island, for there seems to be considerable doubt as to 

 E. albogularis (viz. Horsf.) ever having been obtained in the 

 Papuan region, although we have recently described a specimen 

 from the Solomon Islands. Another fine novelty is a handsome 

 Paradise Bird, between P. sanguinea and P. raggiana. This new 

 species, which comes from D'Entrecasteaux Island, I have named 

 in honour of the amiable wife of the Hon. W. Macleay. 



