3B4 Bibliographical Notice. 



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. 



British New Guinea. By J. P. Thomsoit. 

 G. Philip and Son: London, 1892. 



The illustrations and general style of this handsome volume are 

 highly creditable to the publishers ; while as regards the matter, we 

 can at least say that we are presented with a useful and readable 

 summary of the state of our knowledge of Papua, fairly up to date. 

 It is of course to be regretted that reports of Sir William Mac- 

 gregor's explorations of the Bamo — an important affluent of the Fly 

 River — as well as of the country to the eastward, should not have 

 reached Mr. Thomson in time for insertion ; but that is not the 

 fault of the compiler : for, to prevent misunderstanding, we may 

 say at once that the book is a mere compilation by one who, we 

 believe, has never visited New Guinea, but, from his abode in Bris- 

 bane has sung the achievements of his " fellow-officer," the Adminis- 

 trator of British New Guinea. Far be it from us to undervalue 

 the work done by Sir William Macgregor ; but when we find that 

 the surveys made by his predecessors — distinguished naval officers 

 like Capt. Moresby, Commanders Pullen and Field, and others — 

 are treated without due sense of proportion, while every thing is 

 attributed to " the Administrator," a certain feeling of antagonism is 

 aroused, and this is increased by the inflated tone adopted by the 

 author. We will quote the heading to the first chapter, for it seems 

 to furnish a keynote to the book : — " It appears to me to be a noble 

 employment to rescue from oblivion those who deserve to be eter- 

 nally remembered, and, by extending the reputation of others, to 

 advance at the same time our own. — Plinius minor." If Sir 

 William is pleased with the manner in which Ids reputation has 

 been extended he must have a strong stomach. 



An " Historical Sketch " — far too brief — brings us to the year 

 1888, when British sovereignty was proclaimed at Port Moresby'; after 

 which the Administrator visited the Louisiade Archipelago, the 

 D'Entrecasteaux group, the southern coast of Papua as far as the 

 Dutch limit, and the northern shore up to the German protecto- 

 rate. These tours of inspection are not badly described, and the 

 account of the attainment of the highest peak in the Owen Stanley 

 Range (12,452 feet) affords some important details respecting the 

 configuration of the mountain mass ; but we must add our protest 

 to those of others against the substitution of the name " Mount 

 Victoria " for that bestowed upon the peak many years ago. From 

 a scientific point of view the most valuable portion of the work is 

 the Appendix, which contains some succinct general notes on the 

 Flora of British New Guinea, by Baron von Miiller ; a full report 

 (occupying 50 pp.) on the Insects, by Mr. Henry Tryon ; an inter- 

 esting chapter oia the Reptiles, by Mr. C. W. De Vis ; several 

 important vocabularies, &c. To the above-named gentlemen and 

 some other " collaborators '" Mr. Thomson expresses his gratitude, 

 and without doubt it is well deserved. 



