1876.] DR. COMRIE ON THE ZOOLOGY OF NEW GUINEA. 423 



coast of New Guinea by H.M.S. ' Basilisk,' and read the following 

 remarks : — 



" In introducing the specimens now exhibited, my object is to show 

 that something, although small, was done in the way of advancing 

 natural history during the running survey made by H.M.S. 'Basilisk' 

 of the S.E. coast of New Guinea. The opportunities were limited, 

 and the time was short, the vessel arriving on that coast on the 20th 

 of February, 1874, and finally leaving on May 23rd, the portion of 

 coast embraced being from S.E. Cape to Cape Rigny, the E. point of 

 Astrolabe Gulf. A considerable portion of time was spent among the 

 group of islands off East Cape ; but with the exception of the large 

 D'Entrecasteaux group, where many fine butterflies were obtained, 

 I did not find these islands at all good collecting-ground, and it was 

 more to the northward, in Huon Gulf, on the mainland, that the 

 richest spoils were captured. Tins was especially the case with Snakes 

 and Insects, and was partly owing to the woodcutting carried on 

 here to supply fuel for steaming-purposes on our passage to Amboyna. 

 When any specimen considered curious was met with by the men en- 

 gaged woodcutting, it was invariably saved for the ' Doctor ;' and in 

 this way I am almost entirely indebted to the men and, in some cases, 

 the officers of the ship for what I now show. The mammals, all 

 marsupials, were obtained alongside from the natives, who generally 

 brought them alive, and traded them for pieces of iron hoops, which 

 constitute the current coin all along the coast. With the exception 

 of a Pig and a dun-coloured Dog, no mammals other than marsupials 

 were observed. Some of the specimens are not in the best state of 

 preservation, owing partly to my having had to leave the cases at 

 Singapore, there having been no room for them in the hold of H.M.S. 

 ' Basilisk,' and also to the plague of ants brought on board with the 

 wood, and which, unless the specimens were kept enveloped in an 

 atmosphere of carbolic acid, very soon made short work of them. 



" I have no intention on this occasion to do more than generally 

 allude to the collection as a whole, as many of the species are new, 

 and others, although known, have hitherto not been found in New 

 Guinea : the details connected with geographical range, diagnosis of 

 new species, and their description, a work of time, I must leave to 

 abler hands. I will only give a general resume of the more important 

 novelties as kindly furnished me by Mr. Sclater and Dr. Giinther : — 



" The Mammals are 9 in number ; the most notable of which are 2 

 Petauri (Flying Squirrels), which differ from their nearest congener, 

 Petaurus ariel, in being of a decidedly rufous tint ; but whether 

 specifically distinct can only be ascertained when their skulls have 

 been extracted. The Perameles has lately been described by Dr. 

 Peters as collected by D'Albertis in New Guinea. Two of the Bats 

 have hitherto not been found in New Guinea. 



"The Birds, 13 in number, belong to 11 species, the most im- 

 portant addition being Manucodia (Bird of Paradise), a new species, 

 and which Mr. Sclater has consented kindly to name after myself; 

 this example was the only one either seen or procured. A rather rare 

 Tern, found by Dr. M c Gillivray in Torres Straits, completes what 



