78 NOTES. 



powers of building (the constructions were called 

 ' nests ') were given by the hunters of Mynheer Bruijn. 

 They endeavoured to bring one of the nests to Ternate, 

 but it was found impossible to do this, both by reason 

 of its great size and the difficulty of transporting it. 



"I have fortunately been able to examine these 

 constructions at remote places where they are erected. 

 On June 20, 1875, I left Andai for Hatam, on Mount 

 Arfak. I had been forced to stay a day at Warmendi 

 to give rest to my porters. At this time only five men 

 were with me ; some were suffering trom fever, and the 

 remaining porters declined to proceed. We had been 

 on our way since early morning, and at one o'clock we 

 intended to proceed to the village of Hatam, the end 

 of our journey. 



" We were on a projecting spur of Mount Arfak. 

 The virgin forest was very beautiful. Scarcely a ray 

 of sunshine penetrated the branches. The ground was 

 almost destitute of vegetation. A little trackway proved 

 that the inhabitants were at no great distance. A 

 limpid fountain had evidently been frequented. I 

 found here a new Balanophora, like a small orange or 

 a small fungus. I was distracted by the songs and the 

 screams of new birds, and every turn in the path showed 

 me something new and surprising. I had just killed 

 a small new marsupial (Phascelogale dorsalis, Pet, and 

 Doria), that balanced itself on the stem of a great tree 

 like a squirrel, and turning round, I suddenly stood 

 before the most remarkable specimen of the industry of 



