20 
them. Their method is on finding one in a tree, to build a sort 
of brush yard round it a few feet from the roots ; one of the 
natives then climbs up until he is above the animal, which he 
compels by pelting it with sticks to descend to the ground, where 
being unable to jump any height it is easily killed with waddios. 
The natives say they will bite, but we are inclined to think the 
fence is rather to prevent their getting away, or as a protection 
against their fore paws, of which the claws are very strong and 
sharp. The habits and movements of this animal appear to be 
like those of the native bear ; so far as we saw they did not show 
any great activity amongst the branches, and they come down a 
tree backwards making no use of their very long tail. Their 
tracks were generally seen on leaning trees, but one animal was 
shot from a tree that was practically perpendicular. We had no 
means of ascertaining the altitude of the ranges where the 
specimens were obtained, but should say not less than 4,000 feet, 
and they appear to frequent very rough country. 
There was nothing in the paunch of any of the specimens but 
leaves. 
D. luniholtzi and the various Pseudochirus were in splendid 
condition up to August, after which the fur on the latter began 
to get ragged and worn. 
On the 25th August Mr Cairn left the camp for the Upper 
ltussell River diggings, situated 28 miles S.E. of Boar Pocket, 
and being joined there by Mr. Hanson with his native troopers 
and four “ myalls,”* started all heavily packed for a trip to the 
top of Mount Bartle-Frere. The country is exceedingly rough, 
and being all scrub a track had to be cut, but they made a camp 
within a few hundred feet of the top of the mountains on the 
28th, but not without difficulty as two of the natives gave in. 
They were again unfortunate in the weather, being enveloped in 
mist nearly all the time. They obtained seven of the new Bower 
Bird Prionodura newtoniana , and saw several of their bowers. 
The sides of the bowers are built round two saplings chosen about 
two feet apart, and are constructed of small twigs laid horizontally 
and loosely built together ; the walls are raised to a height of 
from three to seven feet, and are semi-oval in shape. In two of 
the bowers at a height of about nine inches from the ground, was 
a sort of hedge from wall to wall. The flat inner sides of the 
walls of the bower were decorated in each instance with white 
orchid blossoms. In two cases one of the walls was raised con- 
siderably higher than the other. Accompanying is a rough 
sketch of one of the bowers, which will give a fair idea of the 
construction. 
The rainfall is very heavy on Mts. Bartle-Frere and Bellenden- 
Ker. 
* Wild aborigines. 
