SOME BIRD LIFE IN BRITISH PAPUA. 415 



their nests to satisfy their wants, niakino; a start from home regularly 

 at daybreak and returnmg at sunset. The male usually possesses a 

 reallj' fine head of golden feathers, which extend from the base of 

 the bill quite 4 inches down the neck. The hen l)irds are all black, 

 with the exception, as with the males, of a few white feathers on the 

 under part of the wing. Corrugations to the number of !) have been 

 seen on the beak. What do these indicate? The rustling noise 

 these birds make when on the wing is of a weird character, and, 

 together with the hoarse note they produce, suggests to the imagina- 

 tive the approach of something ill-omened. They fly in couples, at 

 an estimated speed of 15 to 20 miles an hour in calm weather. 



On a small islaiul in the China Straits our boating party on one 

 occasion disturbed a huge pelican {Pclicanus con. s/}iclU(( fits) that was 

 evidently seeking food on the shore. Preparing to shoot it, we were 

 discomfited l)y seeing it take a few bounds and with an a])parent 

 effort rise on the wing, and, lazily sweeping in gradually increasing 

 circles, ascend until it was a mere speck in the sky. 



The musical note of the nuigpie is heard occasionaUy in Papua. 

 There is no mistaking its carol. The bird may possibly prove a new 

 variety. Everywhere obi paradise crows {Lycocorax obiensi) in 

 moderate numbers split the air with their hoarse cries and plunder 

 banana plantations, and are especially fond of the paw-paw fruit. 



Snipe {Golllnago (uistralis) have been shot on the northeast coast, 

 Avhere in January they are found when migrating, though from 

 whence, and whither l)ound, it is hard to say. Wild duck, too. are 

 plentiful in the same locality. On the south coast and in the (lulf 

 district small duck with a broad patch of white on the wing, and a 

 variety aljout the size of teal have l)een obtained. 



Vide extract of an expedition up the Morehead River, western divi- 

 sion, several years ago: 



There was a great variety of bird life, anions wlilf-h tliere were oltsorvod the 

 white ibis and great heron, shags, enormous goshawivs ( Eri/throtrioicliis doricr), 

 wild geese and ducks, most beautiful long-tailed green and scarlet parrakeets, 

 tiny jeweled kingfishers ((kii-v sdlitaria) , and a little dark chocolate-colored 

 velvety bird that lived in the reeds (probably Meyalurus alhoscapulatus) , and 

 quantities of pigeons, cockatoos, and parrots. 



The black-feathered scrub hen, or brush turkey {T. jobiensos), is 

 far from being a rowdy bird, and for its nu)desty in that respect 

 rarely fills the sportsman's bag. A sudden splutter of wings and a 

 dark object flying at a moderate rate tovv'ard where the scrub is thick- 

 est complete the disgust of the man with the gun. One receives some 

 compensation, however, by being able to raid rather easily the ground 

 nests of these birds for eggs. The nest, or rather natural incubator, 

 is usually at the base of a large tree trunk, where the hen lays her 

 eggs and then covers them over with a huge but light mound of dry 



