70 



With regard to Dutch New Guinea, in December, 1909, when 

 I was going out with the British Ornithological Expedition to 

 the west coast of New Guinea, I heard that the Dutch were going 

 to stop the shooting not only of Paradise Birds, but of other 

 species ; but such a hue and cry was raised by the traders in 

 some of the Maluccas, who said they could not pay their taxes 

 if the shooting were stopped, that the Government had not 

 strength to withstand their demands. The shooting is now closed 

 for six months in the year on the north coast, and for six months 

 on the west coast ; but these two seasons coincide with the time 

 when the Paradise Birds are out of plumage, so that the business 

 goes on just the same, and the arrangement suits the traders 

 very well. 



I have said that the hunters are penetrating into the less 

 accessible regions to get skins. This opening up of the country 

 is not altogether beneficial to the natives, for the traders are not 

 the most desirable or scrupulous of men in their dealings, and in 

 many districts they have introduced spirits and opium as an 

 exchange for skins, with degrading results. To see this, it is only 

 necessary to go to the Maclure Gulf, Sorong, or the Aru Islands. 

 I will not touch upon diseases which the Chinese have chiefly 

 been the means of introducing, although much might be said 

 about_this too. 



In conclusion I may say that I fully agree with Mr. Pratt's 

 remark as to the urgent need of protection for the Crowned 

 Pigeons, but the slaughter of the Paradise Birds is responsible, 

 in a great measure, for the rapid extermination of these birds 

 also. Owing to the shooters having to go so far afield for the 

 former they kill off the Pigeons which might otherwise find 

 sanctuary in those parts ; the Pigeons alone would not have 

 tempted the shooters to penetrate so far, 



