Letter from the Pacific. 533 



that even the first collection of Mr. Brown contained 70 

 species, among which 10 proved to be new. This was in 

 1877; and science has to thank Dr. Sclater for their scientific 

 determination. Since that time four more collections of birds 

 have reached the hands of this learned naturalist, of which 

 lie has published accounts in his usual excellent style. All 

 these collections raise the number of species sent home by 

 Mr. Brown to 105, of which 80 belong to New Britain, 20 

 to New Ireland, and 5 to the Duke-of-York group. In this 

 total number of 105 species, 23 were new, of which there 

 were 13 from New Britain, 6 from New Ireland, and 4 from 

 the Duke-of-York Islands. It is obvious therefore that sub- 

 sequent collectors had only the gleanings left to them, and 

 had only to add some well-known species to the list. So far 

 as I could ascertain, from the birds obtained by Kleinschmidt, 

 who collected for a space of about two years in Mioko (Duke- 

 of-York group) for the Museum GodefFroy, I believe there 

 are only about four species which escaped Mr. Brown, and 

 which will turn out to be new when they come to be studied 

 by an ornithologist in Europe. Among them is an Owl 

 reminding one of Strix tenebricosa, a Zosterops, and a peculiar 

 Reed-Warbler (apparently belonging to a new genus) . That 

 is very little ; but New Britain is not rich in birds. So far as 

 I can calculate, the whole number of species known from this 

 island is 112, from the Duke-of-York group 39, and from New 

 Ireland 42, making for the whole region, including New 

 Hanover, 139. Among these species not a single peculiar 

 form is found in New Britain ; for the only peculiar genus, 

 the interesting and most remarkable Columbine form (Edir- 

 rhinus, extends over the whole region. We must not, how- 

 ever, forget that only a few spots of New Britain have been 

 touched, and that the greater part of its coasts and of the 

 interior have never been visited by a naturalist or any white 

 man. From these unexplored districts some novelties may 

 be expected; but in my opinion they will not be many. The 

 island is very narrow ; the mountains are but of a moderate 

 altitude ; and, I think, the southern portion^ where no one 

 has ever collected, offers the best field, besides being closer 

 SER. IV. — VOL. V. 2 o 



