PREFACE. 



of the island of Tawi-tawi the narrow Sibutu channel forms a 

 boundary-line from greatly-differing Borneo, which is almost as 

 striking as that shown by Mr. Wallace to exist between Bali and 

 Lombok. 



From the Malay and Papuan regions the Marchesa returned 

 with a large collection of objects of Natural History. Of these the 

 greater portion were obtained in the large islands of North-west 

 New Guinea. One of our chief objects was to become acquainted 

 with the Birds of Paradise in their native forests, and in this we 

 were entirely successful, obtaining no less than seventeen different 

 species. The collection of birds numbered about 3000 specimens, 

 which I have descriV)ed in a series of papers in the " Proceedings of 

 the Zoological Society " for 1885. The Coleoptera, of which there 

 were some thousands, are as yet unworked. A few shells and 

 butterflies were obtained. The former were kindly named for me 

 by my friend the Eev. A. H. Cooke, of Cambridge. The butterflies — 

 of which there were about 100 different species — have been listed, 

 and the new species described by Mr. Oliver Janson. 



The very large number of photographic negatives we brought 

 back rendered the choice of subjects for engraving a matter of 

 some difficulty. Very great care has been bestowed upon the 

 illustrations, and I can fearlessly claim for them that — at least in 

 point of accuracy — they can hardly be improved, for with a few 

 exceptions they are reproductions of our photographs. The en- 

 graving of the blocks has been entrusted to Mr. Edward Whymper; 

 Mr. Keulemans and Mr. Charles Whymper have respectively 

 drawn the birds and animals, while to ]\Ir. H. C. S. Wright, Mr. 

 Stacey, and others I am indebted for the interpretation of some of 

 my rough sketches. 



In the following pages I have confined myseK almost entirely 

 to the record of facts, leaving my readers to draw their own con- 

 clusions and form their own theories as they please. It may be 

 wondered why I have not touched in any way upon the poHtical 

 aspects of the British annexation in New Guinea, or spoken of the 

 VOL. I. h 



