12 
NATURE NOTES. 
Apart from the visits paid by the naturalists of early surveying ships, the first 
who gave us a glimpse into this land of many other marvels than the bird of 
paradise was Mr. Wallace. After him came D’Albertis, lleccari, Mr. fl. O. 
Forbes and others, but there is still a wide field for the research of the enterprising. 
It is an interesting fact, and may not be widely known, that the first eye to sight 
the great Mount Owen .Stanley range was that of Mr. llu.xley, then surgeon of 
II.M.S. Rattlesnake, who named the mountains after the captain of that vessel. 
Mr. Thomson has taken the country in sections according as they have been 
explored by different travellers. First in place and in honour is Sir W. 
Maegregor, the indefatigable administrator of British New Guinea, who made 
explorations along the coast in his yacht the Hygeia and also in the interior. 
The author gives an interesting and instructive sketch of these explorations, and 
the numerous illustrations add greatly to the value of the book. 
- The natives of New Guinea are Papuans, not belonging to large tribes, each 
governed by a chief, but dwelling in scattered communities, speaking different 
dialects, and having little intercourse beyond that of murder and rapine. They 
are mostly savages of almost the lowest scale, though their architecture, weapons 
and ornaments seem superior to those of many other races of similar manners 
and customs. Not even in the days of the justly celebrated MaePherson of Mr. 
Aytoun’s ballad could the highlands of Scotland have furnished a parallel for 
blood-thirstiness to the present so-called social state of New Guinea. 
