378 Letters, Extracts, and Notes. 



Mr. Stalker left England about a year ago, and proceeded 

 to the Am Islands to obtain living examples of Birds-of- 

 Paradise for Sir William Ingram. It had been arranged 

 that, after completing this engagement, he should join the 

 other members of the British Ornithologists' Union Expedi- 

 tion, filling up his time until their arrival by collecting 

 natural-history specimeus and by making the preliminary 

 arrangements for transport in New Guinea. His letter, 

 mentioned above, states how usefully he had employed his 

 time in carrying out his instructions. Mr. Stalker had 

 already had considerable experience of life in New Guinea, 

 having spent several years (between 1904—6) at the gold 

 mines on the Mambare River, in the northern part of the 

 British territory. It was then that he first began to collect 

 specimens forthe Natural History Museum. Subsequently, at 

 the suggestion of Mr. Oldrield Thomas, who had discovered 

 his great ability in trapping and preparing mammals, he 

 was sent by Sir William Ingram and Mr. Forest to 

 Alexandra, in the northern territory of South Australia, and 

 in 1907 to Inkerman, in East Queensland. In both these 

 places he did admirable work, and formed fine collections of 

 mammals, which were presented by his patrons to the Natural 

 History Museum. In 1909, in company with Mr. C. K. 

 Horsbrugh, he again visited British New Guinea and the 

 Aru Islands on behalf of Sir William Ingram, and was 

 successful in bringing back a large number of living Birds- 

 of- Paradise, including a male of the beautiful Blue Bird- 

 of-Paradise (Paradisornis rudolphi), which had not previously 

 been brought to Europe alive. Early in 1909, after a short 

 stay in England, he again started on the present undertaking, 

 when he so unfortunately lost his life. Mr. Stalker was 

 quite a young man — only thirty-one years of age — having 

 been born on January 17, 1879, and it is sad to think that 

 the successful career of this talented naturalist should have 

 been terminated so early and in so tragic a manner. 



Lorentz'sNew Guinea Expedition. — We learn from 'Nature ' 

 of February 17 (vol. 82, p. 464) that a telegram has been 



