84 Mr. G. M. Mathews on a recent 



a higher one, which, connecting the shores, admitted of a new 

 immigration before it sank to the level now existent. This 

 shifting up and down has been recognised by nearly all 

 students of the Queensland fauna, and geological evidence 

 confirms such conclusions. Such a theory would account 

 for the presence of these island-faunas stranded in north 

 Queensland, for according to observers the scrub about 

 Cape York does not differ from that of Bellenden Ker, nor 

 does Dr. Macgillivray note anything remarkable save new 

 plants, which of course would be expected. The climatic 

 conditions do not seem to be otherwise than normal in the 

 two places. 



It should be remarked that the genus Casuarius, mainly 

 restricted to New Guinea and the islands tliereabouts, has 

 one representative in Australia. That is not found at Cape 

 "York, but occurs in the Bellenden Ker district, though in 

 the lowlands there. This would seem to confirm my sug- 

 gestion. Probably a detailed criticism of the avifaunas of 

 the Cape York District, the Claudie River District (when 

 it is available), and the Bellenden Ker District, in comparison 

 with those from various parts of New Guinea, would lead us 

 to some conclusive results. There can be no doubt that, 

 ornithologically considered. New Guinea embraces at least 

 three distinct avifaunas, though the majority of New Guinea 

 collections have been reported upon by ornithologists, careless 

 to the last degree of the lessons to be learnt by a study of 

 birds. As a writer on another branch of zoology once com- 

 mented : — " The excellence of a British ornithologist seems 

 to be governed by the number of pages he tills, irrespective 

 of the matter therein contained." 



The majority of papers have been mere lists, repetitions of 

 well-known names, without any conclusions drawn from them. 

 Without such conclusions the preparation of such lists 

 appears to be a waste of time, for surely no one should be 

 better able to indicate the lessons than the worker who has 

 studied the collection and handled the birds. The *^new 

 ornithology" will deal with bird collections in a different 

 way, and ah'cady there are signs, showing the improvement 

 in the treatment of bird-study. 



