361 



sombre and lofty as on the braiks of ihe Amazon , a 

 different set of birds is met with , the two most abun- 

 dant being both New Guinea species, Cracticus varius , 

 Gm. and Fhowjgama viridis L. The former has a loud 

 and very varied note ; sometiuies a fine musical whistie ; 

 at ethers (principally when alarmed), a harsh, toad-like 

 croack. It is very active, flving about from tree to tree 

 and from bush to bush , seeking after insects, or feeding 

 on small fruits. It is a long time before one can recog- 

 nize its various cries for those of one and the same bird. 

 The Thonygama is a very powerful and active bird; 

 lts legs are particularly strong , and it ciings suspended 

 to the smaller branches, while devouring the fruits on 

 which alone it appears to feed. lts affinities seem to be 

 with the Paradiseas rather thkn with the Garrulidae. Next 

 to these , two species of Dacelo are most freqiiently met 

 with, and their loud monotonous cry, very much resem- 

 bling the bark of adog, most frequently heard. A large 

 crow , with a fine skwblue iris, and hoarse cawing 

 cry, is also not uncommon; now I have mentioned all 

 the birds, except parrots andpigeons, that are commoii 

 enongh to be at all characteristic of forest iiear Dob- 

 Ijo. lor noise, however, the Psittacidae siirpass all 

 others, and the Yellow-crested Cockatoo {Plyctolophus 

 galeritd) is and absolute nuisance, Instead of flving 

 away wlien alarmed, as other birds do, it circuits round 

 and round from one tree to another, keeping up such 

 a grating, creaking, tympanura-splitting scream, as 

 to oblige one to retire as soon as possible to a di- 

 btance. Far more a^rreeable is the low cooin2: of the 

 pigeons, several tine species of which are not nnconi 

 niou. Carpophaga yinon QG., is [)lentiful, and ano- 



ÜL. XVII. 21 



