SOME BIRD LIFE IN BRITISH PAPUA. 415 



thcMi- nests to satisfy their wants, niakino; a start from home regularly 

 at daybreak and returnin<j: at sunset. The male usually possesses a 

 really fine head of <2:olden feathers, whieh extend from the base of 

 the bill quite 4 inehes down the neclc. The hen birds are all black, 

 with the exception, as with the nudes, of a few white feathers on the 

 under j)art of the win<;. Corrugations to the number of have been 

 seen on the beak. AVhat ilo these indicate? The rustling imise 

 these birds nudve when on the wing is of a weird character, and, 

 together with the hoarse note they produce, suggests to the imagina- 

 tive the approach of something ill-omened. They fly in couples, at 

 an estimated si)eed of 15 to 20 nules an hour in calm weather. 



On a sn)all island in the China Straits our boating party on one 

 occasion disturbed a huge pelican {Pelicanus consjncillatus) that was 

 evidently seeking food on the shore. Preparing to shoot it, we were 

 discomfited by seeing it take a few bounds and wdth an a])parent 

 effort rise on the wing, and, lazily sweeping in gradually increasing 

 circles, ascend until it was a mere speck in the sky. 



The musical note of the magpie is heard occasionaHy in Papua. 

 There is no mistaking its carol. The bird may possibly prove a new 

 variety. Everywdiere obi paradise crows {Lycocorax ohiensi) in 

 moderate numbers split the air with their hoarse cries and plunder 

 banana plantations, and are especially fond of the paw-paw fruit. 



Snipe {GoUhiaf/o australis) have been shot on the northeast coast, 

 where in January they are found when migrating, though from 

 whence, and whither bound, it is hard to say. Wild duck, too. are 

 plentiful in the same locality. On the south coast and in the Gulf 

 district small duck with a broad patch of Avhite on the wing, and a 

 variety about the size of teal have been obtained. 



Vide extract of an expedition up the Morehead River, western divi- 

 sion, several years ago: 



There was a great variety of bird life, among whlr-h there were observed the 

 Mhite ibis and great heron, shags, enormous goshawks {Erytlirotrinrcliis dorur), 

 wild geese and ducks, most beautiful long-tailed green and scarlet parrakeets, 

 tiny jeweled kingfishers ((Uij.r solitaria) , and a little dark chocolate-colored 

 velvety bird that lived in the reeds (probably Meffulurus alhoscapidatiis), and 

 quantities of pigeons, cockatoos, and parrots. 



The l)lack-feathered scrub hen. or brush turkey {T. johiensos), is 

 far from being a rowdy bird, and for its modesty in that respect 

 rarely fills the sportsman's bag. A sudden splutter of wings and a 

 dark object flying at a moderate rate toward where the scrub is thick- 

 est complete the disgust of the man with the gun. One receives some 

 compensation, however, by being able to raid rather easily the ground 

 nests of these birds for eggs. The nest, or rather natural incubator, 

 is usually at the base of a large tree trunk, where the hen lays her 

 eggs and then covers them over with a huge but light mound of dry 



