356 Messrs. Layard on the 



M. Jouan (1863) about 40 species^ of which 5 do not seem 

 to be included in MM. Verreaux and Des Murs's list. 



If any of our readers can tell us where we can find infor- 

 mation on New-Caledonian birds, other than that we have 

 mentioned, we shall be most thankful. 



Our brethren of ' The Ibis/ will sympathize with us when 

 we tell them of the horror that fell like a thick darkness on 

 our minds when, in conversation with the gentlemen who 

 came off to H.M.S. "^ Barracouta ^ to welcome us on our 

 arrival, we were told that no shooting was allowed on any 

 pretext, as the birds were wanted to kill the locusts ! 

 Visions of dull despair, if not of actual suicide, floated over 

 us ! With ample spare time to work to be condemned to 

 idleness ! And what other amusements had we ? Oh ! 

 there are billiard-tables at the restaurants and hotels ! 

 These offered no attractions to either of us. What was to be 

 done ? A day or two after our landing, a kind lady friend 

 offered to drive us out to a pretty spot called Ansevata, 

 where she was going to make a visit. We had driven there 

 the day of our landing, and had noted with hungry eyes some 

 lovely Rhipidura, yellow-billed Pachycephala, an Aplonis, a 

 Hawk, and ti Gull or two, and various small " unknowns. ^^ 



The father looked at the son ; the son divining the thought 

 in his parentis brain pronounced the magic name " Long 

 Tom." Parent, in his blandest and most insinuating tones : — 

 " My dear Madam ! would you object to our bringing a tiny 

 little collecting-gun with us ? it makes no noise hardly, and, as 

 it is a breechloader, will not be carried loaded in the carriage !'* 

 Son, persuasively : — " We can pop it in the hood behind 

 there, and not a soul can see it.^^ Lady, graciously : — " Oh 

 yes, I don't mind a gun ; and you'll get me a bird for my hat.'' 

 Chorus of parent and son : — " Oh yes, the loveliest we can 

 find ! " In a few minutes the faithful " Long Tom " is un- 

 shipped from his stock, rolled up in a bag, and stowed away 

 in the hood, a dozen cartridges dropt into our pockets, and 

 we are off. We felt as gloriously happy as two school-boys 

 out of bounds, and thoroughly enjoyed our poaching expedi- 

 tion ! Our fair friend dropped us by a nice bit of bush, and 



