210 Mr. C. B, Horsbrugli — Jovrney to Bi'itish 



trivirgata), the Eastern Grey Cuscus [Phalanger orientalis) , 

 and other varieties of the latter family, with several 

 species of rats which have not as yet been identified. 

 Our spirit-jars were rapidly filling Avith crabs, frogs^ 

 chameleons, a few snakes, prawns, and other denizens of the 

 jungle. In a very short time we had so many birds to deal 

 with that we had absolutely no time to devote to shooting, 

 and for that reason seldom stirred from the house. Even 

 bread-making was voted a nuisance, and we often substituted 

 biscuits for it. All our available cages and the two 

 aviaries beneath the house now held as many inmates as was 

 compatible with safety, so we began the construction, with 

 the help of our staff and numerous villagers, of a very large 

 aviary for additions, which, however, time did not permit us 

 to complete. 



New Guinea is not connected with Australia by cable, and 

 steamers only call at Yule Island every tenth week, while a 

 schooner brings the mails every fifth week. To entrust such 

 delicate freight as birds to a schooner was not to be thought 

 of, so that we had to settle the question whether we could 

 catch the steamer that called at the island on April 19th. 

 This meant that our collecting must end within less than a 

 month of our arrival at Madiu. Nevertheless, considering the 

 numerous birds which we had on hand and continued to receive 

 daily, we thought it better to make active preparations for 

 departure. Orders were therefore sent far and wide declining 

 to I'cceive further specimens, as we were very doubtful whether 

 enough natives could be obtained to carry what we already 

 had down to the coast. About a week before commencing 

 our rcturu-journcy our hoys were busily engaged in making 

 reed cages for the various birds, which with the other cages 

 previously brought out from England numbered twenty-three 

 in all, and there were other packages besides. The bulk of 

 our stores were left in our house, as Stalker proposed to return 

 there when I had joined the steamer at Yule Island with 

 the birds, and intended proceeding further inland in pursuit 

 of the magnificent Prince lludolph^s Bird -of- Paradise 

 {Puradisornis rudolphi) . 



