1879. j MR. R. TRIMEN ON PLECTROPTERUS NIGER. 5 



wliole of the south coast of New Ireland, communicating constantly 

 with the natives and anchoring in many of the bays, and that no- 

 where could he find any traces of the bird or learn that it exists. 

 On the contrary, the natives seemed quite ignorant of all that concerns 

 it, and offered to buy some eggs, which had been brought from New 

 Britain in order to facilitate inquiries on the subject. 



"P.S. Mr. Brown says the native name in New Britain is Mooriip 

 not Mooruk." 



The following extract was read from a letter addressed to the 

 Secretary by the Rev. G. Brown, C.M.Z.S., dated Port Hunter, 

 Duke-of-York group, Sept. 7, 1878: — 



" About three weeks ago H.M.S. ' Sandfly,' Capt. A. G. Home, 

 arrived here on her way to the extreme end of New Ireland. Capt. 

 Home told me that he had instructions from the Commodore to in- 

 quire as to whether the 'Moorup'' was found on New Ireland or 

 not. lie asked me about it ; and I told him that, so far as we knew, 

 it was not found on any part of the west coast, but that we knew 

 little or nothing of the east side of the island. Capt. Home very 

 kindly asked me to accompany them on their cruise ; and as I was 

 not at all well, and as I also wished very much to examine the coast 

 further north, I very gladly accepted his offer. We were away about 

 twelve days from here, and went as far as the north end of Sand- 

 wich Island, but did not reach New Hanover ; nor did we visit the 

 cast coast of New Ireland at all. "We anchored at Wood Harbour, 

 on the mainland opposite Sandwich Island. We saw no traces of 

 the Moorup — neither eggs, feathers, nor bones, all of which are used 

 by the natives of New Britain — the feathers for head-dresses, and the 

 bones for the ends of their spears. Of these we saw no signs, how- 

 ever, in New Ireland. We had a Moorup's egg with us, and showed 

 it everywhere ; but no one seemed to recognize it. I think we may 

 be very certain that neither the Moorup nor the Cockatoo are found 

 on New Ireland. There is much more open country on the east 

 side of the island ; but all the natives assure us that they are not 

 found there either." 



The Secretary read the following extract from a letter addressed 

 to bim by Mr. R. Trimen, F.Z.S., dated South-African Museum, 

 Cape Town, 25th Sept. 1878:— 



" With respect to your Plectropterus niger"^, I have ascertained that 

 all the four specimens were brought down from Zanzibar by Capt. 

 Garrett, of the mail-steamer ' Kafir.' Two were given to General Sir 

 A. Cunynghame, who afterwards sent them to the Society, and the 

 other two to Mr. W. G. Brounger. One of the latter two, while on 

 Mr. Brounger's farm at Constantia, was shot; and the survivor sub- 

 sequently disappeared, Mr. Brounger believing that it flew away. 



The following papers were read : — 



^ \Casuarlui bcnnefti, see above. — P. L. S.] 



* See figure and description, P. Z. S. 1877, p. 47, pi. vii. 



