88 Mr. W. R. Ogilvie-Grant on the Birds collected 



That tliey have been so mistaken is proved by the fact 

 that Count Salvation and many others have regarded 

 M. robertsoni Sharpe as a synonym o£ M. orientalis Schlegel, 

 but they are really quite distinct species. 



A fcAV high trees left standing near the huts at Waka- 

 timi were the resort, iporning and evening, of these 

 Starlings and various other species of birds. For a long 

 time during the hot mid-day hours Mr. Goodfellovv had 

 observed that some bird, possessing a remarkably sweet 

 Thrush-like song, rested there, and, after many days of 

 watching, he found it to be Robertson's Gtolden Crackle. 

 He says that the notes of this Starling would not pass 

 ixunoticed, even in countries where the birds, as a rule, have 

 sweeter voices than those inhabiting New Guinea. 



Family Dicrukid^e — Drongos. 



The Drongos, small Crow-like Flycatchers with pugnacious 

 habits, are represented in the collection by two species — 

 Chibia carbunaria and Chcetorhynchus papuensis. 



Family Oriolid.e — Orioles. 



The Orioles are represented by one species only, Mimeta 

 striata, belonging to the dull coloured brovvn-backed group 

 Avith heavily streaked under-parts and the sexes alike in 

 plumage. It was commonest in the mangrove-swamps near 

 the coast. 



Family Ploceid,e — Weaver-birds. 



This widely distributed group is not very numerous in 

 New Guinea, and the only representative met with was a 

 small species, Munia tristissima, which was common in the 

 clearing round the camp at Wakatimi. 



Family Motacillid^ — Wagtails. 



The Grey Wagtail {Motacilla melanope) and the Blue- 

 headed Wagtail {M. fluva) were both met with on the 

 Mimika and other rivers. It is interesting to note that 



