414 SOME BIRD LIFE IN BRITISH PAPUA. 



feathers of a sky-blue tint of a bird of paradise in the headdress of a 

 chief for an ample consideration. Where and when they had been 

 obtained the natives knew not, beyond pointing vaguely toAvard the 

 mountains far inland. The local name, " damba," as for a raggiana, 

 was also given. 



The enormous goura pigeons {Goxira coronata) are glorious crea- 

 tures. The noble crests of mottled and slate-colored hues give the 

 birds an almost commanding appearance. A peculiarity about these 

 birds is that only in the River Musa district (latitude 9° to 10° south) 

 are the}' to be found in considerable nmnbers. AVhether a special 

 kind of fruit tree only exists in the locality would be interesting to 

 know, as otherwise that particular part of the mainland scarcely 

 differs in any respect from other portions of the country east of 

 longitude 148°. It is well known, of course, that a different variety 

 of bird inhabits the Fly River districts {G. d'olhertis). 



Pigeons of lesser size, viz, the blue, Avhite, black, and Avhite Torres 

 Strait, and the white necklaced varieties, mostly inhabit the man- 

 grove trees on the coast in flocks, and toward sunset can be eaily 

 shot, flying Avith alarmed cries in circles above their roosting jjlace 

 and returning in a few minutes wdthin the zone of the sportsman's 

 deadly gun fire. In the islands in the southeastern portion of the 

 possession the beautiful blue-green bronze pigeon, Avith Avhite tail 

 jtnd long neck feathers (" nicobar ""), and a species Avith a remarkable 

 fleshy protuberance at the base of the upper mandible, make their 

 home in the thick scrub. 



The A'arieties of doA^es are numerous, among Avhich might be men- 

 tioned a A'ery pretty particolored one Avith green, Avhite, and yelloAV 

 on its body and a patch of magenta above the beak, found on the Con- 

 flict Group. Also the almost tame green and brown species of the 

 Lachlan Islands. 



At all times of the day and night cassoAvaries can be heard uttering 

 their peculiar plaintive cry as they Avander through the dense forest. 

 They are very hard to approach, and only on one occasion was the 

 Avriter permitted to see a Avild one, and that Avas through the effect 

 of a lucky shot by a recruit in the armed constabulary. So far as it 

 is remembered, the bird Avas of the common type peculiar to the 

 country, and stood about 5 feet in height. A one-time planter in 

 Milne Bay once kept a pair of these birds and trained them to per- 

 form the duties of Avatcli dogs. As Avould be expected, black and also 

 Avhite (Triton) cockatoos [Cacatna ducorfsi) ; red, green, and blue 

 parrots; rifle birds {C rasped ophora magvif^ca) , and scarlet-breasted 

 green parrakeets are A^ery numerous, and are to be found in flocks 

 Avhcre cocoanut, breadfruit, banana, Avild cherry, and jilum trees are 

 in bearing. Plait-billed hornl)ills (Rhytidoceros undulatvs), in par- 

 ticular, devour these fruits greedily, and traA'el long distances from 



