56 



Vivian, Some Bird-Life in British Papua. 



r E m II 

 List Oct. 



still maintaining a slight upivard tendency during the progress 

 (see fig. 2). Then repetitions ad lib. (see diagram). 



^ Fi^.i. 



Wind <- 



■«i^ 



Their rate of speed when with tl^e wind would be quite 60 

 to 70 miles an hour, if not more. 



Mr. Louis Becke, writing in The Pall Mall Gazette, mentions 

 the Frigate-Bird as the swiftest of all sea-birds, and in some of 

 the equatorial isles of the Pacific it is used as a letter-carrier. Taken 

 from the nest before it can fly, it is hand-fed on a fish diet by the 

 natives ; and in the course of a few months becomes so tame 

 that it can be liberated during the day, and will return to its 

 perch at sunset. In the records of the London Missionary Society 

 mention is made of the letter-carrying Frigate-Birds of the Ellice 

 Group (north-west of Samoa), and that writer, who resided in 

 those islands for three years, had frequent opportunities of 

 witnessing their performances. 



In the Northern Division the following birds have been re- 

 corded as existing there, and it would be interesting at a future 

 date to learn of their respective peculiarities. They are the 

 Dollar-Bird {Eurystomus), New Guinea Pheasant, Weaver-Bird, 

 and Flycatcher {Monachella niuelleriana). Brilliantly hued 

 Finches, Wagtails, and Racquet-tailed Kingfishers {Tanysiptcra 

 tnicrorhynchd) also excite curiosity. White-headed Sea-Hawks 

 {Haliastiir girrencra) are not numerous, but are sufficient to 



