IN CENTRAL DUTCH NEW GUINEA 231 



be gathered out of my first-hand impressions of wild 

 life in the South Seas : for I have had opportunities 

 which I think are unique of getting on familiar terms 

 with the natives and with the zoological life in parts 

 of the earth never before explored by a white man. 

 I know that I have not made anything like full use 

 of my opportunities. I can claim neither to be 

 a scientist nor a descriptive writer. But to very 

 many other kindnesses the Hon. Walter Rothschild 

 added that of an offer to contribute an introduction 

 to my book. Then my friends Dr. Hartert and Dr. 

 Jordan, of the Tring Museum, offered to supervise 

 the scientific names and zoological notes in it : 

 and their position in the scientific world made that 

 promise of the greatest value to me. Finally, an old 

 Australian friend agreed to be editor and to pilot me 

 through the writing reefs. So the book was under- 

 taken. 



After some months of London during which a 

 fierce taxi-cab in the Haymarket, missing the taking 

 of my life by the fraction of a second, convinced me 

 that civilisation has also its perils I am returning to 

 the South Seas, with another ten years, at least, to look 

 forward to of collecting in wild country. 



