c^ Vivian, Some Bird-Life in British Papua. \ 



Emu 

 St Oct. 



of these birds and trained them to perform the duties of watch 

 dogs. As would be expected, black, and also White (Triton) 

 Cockatoos {Cacatua ducorpsi) ; red, green, and blue Parrots, 

 Rifie-Birds (Craspedophora magnifica), and scarlet-breasted 

 green Parrakeets, are very numerous, and are to be found in 

 fiocks where cocoanut, bread -fruit, banana, wild cherry, and plum 

 trees are in bearing. Plait-billed Hornbills {Rhytidoceros undu- 

 latus) in particular devour these fruits greedily, and travel long 

 distances from their nests to satisfy their wants, making a start 

 from home regularly at daybreak and returning at sunset. The 

 male usually possesses a really fine head of golden feathers, which 

 extend from the base of the bill quite 4 inches down the neck. 

 The hen birds are all black, with the exception, as with the males, 

 of a few white feathers on the under part of wing. Corrugations 

 to the number of nine have been seen on the beak. What do 

 these indicate ? The rustling noise these birds make when on the 

 wing is of a weird character, and, together with the hoarse note 

 they produce, suggests to the imaginative the approach of some- 

 thing ill-omened. They fly in couples, at an estimated speed of 

 15 to 20 miles an hour in calm weather. 



On a small island in the China Straits our boating party on 

 one occasion disturbed a huge Pelican {Pelicanus conspicillatus) 

 that was evidently seeking food on the shore. Preparing to 

 shoot it, we were discomfited by seeing it take a few bounds 

 and with an apparent 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 a Magpie is heard occasionally in Papua. 

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

 new variety. Everywhere Obi Paradise Crows {Lycocorax 

 obicnsi) in moderate numbers split the air with their hoarse 

 cries, and plunder banana plantations, and are especially fond 

 of the paw-paw fruit. 



Snipe (Gallinago australis) have been shot on the north-cast 

 coast, where in January they are found when migrating, though 

 from whence, or 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 white on the 

 wing, and a variety about the size of Teal, have been obtained. 



Vide extract of an expedition up the Morehead River, Western 

 Division, several years ago : — " There was a great variety of bird- 

 life, amongst which there were observed the White Ibis and 

 Great Heron, Shags, enormous Goshawks {Erythrotriorchis 

 doricB), Wild Geese and Ducks ; most beautiful long-tailed green 

 and scarlet Parrakeets ; tiny jewelled Kingfishers {Ccyx solitarid), 

 and a little dark chocolate-coloured velvety bird that lived in 

 the reeds (probably Megaliirus alboscapidatus), and quantities of 

 Pigeons, Cockatoos, and Parrots." 



The black-feathered Scrub-Hen, or Brush-Turkey {T. jobiensis), 

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



