102 From Magazines, &c. [ ^^^ 



Emu 

 Oct. 



routine did not vary much. Live birds, mammals, and reptiles 

 came in to such an extent that our collapsible cages were soon 

 filled, and we had to build two large avaries under the house. 

 These measured roughly about 6x8x5 f^et, and into one of 

 them we turned all the Hunstein's Paradise-Birds, which soon 

 became tame enough to feed from our hands. The other held 

 several sorts of Doves and some Raggi's Paradise-Birds. No 

 single day passed without some addition to our collection, and 

 in reviewing our united experience with European and other 

 birds, Stalker and I agreed that we had never handled such 

 confiding and fearless creatures as these. They would usually 

 take food from our hands within three days of their capture. 

 The Hunstein's Birds-of-Paradise were the first examples of this 

 family brought in. The males clear a small open space on the 

 ground in which to display their beautiful plumage to a number 

 of admiring females. It is an easy matter for the natives, who 

 are all aware of this habit, to arrange a net near these ' dancing 

 grounds,' and at an opportune moment to frighten the birds into 

 its meshes by a sudden shout and clapping of hands." These 

 birds were found to be more delicate than the other species, 

 while Parotia lawesi (Lawes Bird-of-Paradise) proved to be 

 quite hardy, and quickly became very tame. Six specimens of 

 one of the Bower-Birds {yElunvdus melanocephalus) were 

 procured, as well as a few examples of Aviblyoi'tiis siibalaris 

 (Subalar Bower-Bird), and P honygauia purpureo-violacea and P. 

 chalybeata (Manucodes), a single specimen only being obtained 

 of the latter species. A pair of Pigmy Parrots {Nasiterna) and 

 single examples of LophorpJiina minor, Pitta viackloti, and 

 Rhectes dicfoiis were brought into camp, but none of these 

 survived the rough treatment they had received at the hands 

 of their native captors. Before leaving New Guinea Mr. 

 Horsburgh received two splendid Rifle - Birds {Ptilorhis 

 intercedens), one of which, unfortunately, died from an injury, 

 but the other was safely transported to London. In order to 

 catch a convenient steamer — vessels calling at Yule Island only 

 at intervals of 10 weeks — Mr. Horsburgh left Madiu on 14th 

 April, being accompanied as far as Yule Island by Mr. Stalker, 

 who, however, was to return and proceed farther into the 

 interior in quest of the splendid Prince Rudolph Bird-of- 

 Paradise. Mr. Horsburgh shipped his precious cargo at Yule 

 Island without mishap, but on arrival at Cooktown, owing to the 

 regulations prohibiting the importation of birds, &c., into 

 Queensland, had some difficulty in transhipping his collections. 

 However, the sanction of the Secretary for Agriculture at 

 Brisbane was received in time to catch the s.s. Wodonga for 

 Sydney. On arrival there his collections were accommodated 

 at the Zoological Gardens until 24th May, when they were 

 placed on board the s.s. Victoria, and, reaching London on 28th 



