534) Dr. O. Finsch^s Ornithological 



to tlie mainland o£ New Guinea and likely to receive some 

 interesting forms from that quarter. 



As regards myself, I was, unfortunately, not able to go 

 there, nor to stay in New Ireland (the most promising country 

 of the region) , and was obliged to be satisfied with exploring 

 a comparatively very small part of New Britain — that is, the 

 shores of Blanche Bay and its environs. In this district I 

 have been at work a little more than seven months, and suc- 

 cessful enough out of 112 known species to obtain specimens 

 of 102. 



If I failed as regards birds, yet I was able to do a little 

 more than Mr. Brown in ethnological researches, although I 

 leave still much in this line to be done by my successors. To 

 make observations on the habits and manners of animals is 

 more difficult, perhaps, in the tropics than elsewhere, and 

 requires, above all, plenty of time ; and this is scarce for a 

 naturalist who has to look out for many other things, and 

 cannot devote all, or even the greater part of his time to 

 ornithology. Thus it comes to pass that I cannot claim to 

 know very much of the birds of New Britain, although I saw 

 a good deal of them myself and was assisted by an experience 

 of many years in studying birds in nature. As a general 

 rule, observation in these dense pTimeval woods is rather diffi- 

 cult. The trees are so tall ; their foliage, encumbered by 

 climbers and parasitic plants, is so thick ; and one has to look 

 out for a path, if there is any, that one may not become 

 entangled in troublesome tendrils or stumble over fallen trees 

 and branches. Thus in many cases one does not get more than 

 a glance at the feathered tribes. It is also difficult to see a 

 bird sitting in the midst of a thick tree, and requires, in many 

 cases, the sharp eye of a native as a helpmate for one's own 

 powers of vision unaccustomed to such forests as these. 



I cannot now go into details on the birds of New Britain, 

 and confine myself to a brief sketch, hoping eventually to 

 write a more complete article on the avifauna of this island. 

 The woods are not silent, as is so often said in regard to 

 the the tropics, although only a few notes make them re- 

 sound. I shall not try to give a description of these sounds. 



