470 Ornithology in the Colonial and Indian Exhibition. 



Natal section^ on either side of the court, are cases of named 

 and mounted birds; a group consisting of a pair of the 

 handsome white-bellied Circaetus cinereus, with a few smaller 

 birds ; and eight cases of well-prepared skins, exhibited, so 

 far as can be gathered from the Catalogue, by the Natal 

 Commission. From the Gold Coast there are two cases of 

 mounted birds, and a fine nest of a species of Euplectes ; while 

 Gambia contributes an excellent collection of some 150 skins 

 sent by Capt. Moloney, C.M.G., and determined by Capt. G. 

 E. Shelley, thereby having acquired distinct scientific value. 



The Australian colonies make a fine shoAv : especially 

 Queensland, which exhibits two large and attractive groups of 

 birds and mammals, set up by Mr. Rowland Ward, also a case 

 of skins ; besides the large group at the end of the gallery, 

 the feature of which is a Wedge-tailed Eagle carrying a 

 young Wallaby to its brood. Victoria, in addition to a similar 

 group, has a case of the little Blue Penguins [Eudtjptula] 

 and a collection of eggs. Western Australia exhibits a fine 

 case of birds and mammals, mounted by Mr. E. Gerrard, 

 jun. ; while New South Wales is rich in New Guinea Paradise- 

 and other birds. Some time after the opening of the 

 Exhibition a collection of about 200 specimens was added by 

 Mr. H. H. Romilly, H.M.^s High Commissioner for New 

 Guinea. It is stated to have been obtained in the interior of 

 New Guinea^ above Port Moresby, and contains examples of 

 several of Karl Hunstein^s best discoveries, such as examples 

 of females of Paradisornis I'udolphi [antea, p. 252, pi. vii.) 

 and males of Amblyornis subalaris (p. 257), showing the deep 

 orange-red erectile crest. It is unfortunate that some of the 

 best of these specimens have been spoilt by bad mounting. 



In the New Zealand Court there are no less than 12 cases 

 of birds mounted by Burton and Sons, and exhibited by 

 Mr. S. W. Silver ; but the scientific value of the collection 

 is impaired by the introduction of several species which 

 have no connection with New Zealand, such as a Brazilian 

 Tanager, a Lyre-bird, and an Australian Thicknee. The 

 Canterbury Museum, presided over by Professor Sir Julius 

 von Haast, exhibits mounted skeletons of Dinornis maximus, 



