Avifauna of New Caledonia. 359 
ping of a branch underfoot had scared it before a shot could 
j be obtained. 
We had now six birds on the stick; and it was time we 
returned to the rendezvous for our fair friend, who soon hove 
in sight with her sable “ Jehu,” and immediately claimed the 
Myiagra for her hat! ! She was promised a far lovelier speci¬ 
men, Myzomela sanguinolenta , one of which had gleamed like 
a crimson flash before our eyes,—a promise, we need hardly 
say, faithfully kept. 
Such was our first hour's collecting in New Caledonia. 
Ill health, and absence in Australia in consequence, has pre¬ 
vented E. L. L. from again visiting Ansevata; but L. L. has 
has frequently made it the scene of his early morning pere¬ 
grinations, and has reaped a fair harvest, of which we shall 
write at another time. 
But some will ask, “ How about the prohibition ? Here 
are H.M. Consul and the V.-C. breaking the laws !" Not 
so fast, good brother ! We discovered the remains of a mu¬ 
seum in the cellars of the “ Maireand we learned that the 
Government was going to build two rooms for its reception; 
so we made the following offer to the Government 
“ If you will give us a special permit to shoot, we will 
supply the museum with specimens, arrange and clean those 
you have got, and otherwise help you; and we will carefully 
abstain from shooting any of the birds you have imported 
to eat the locusts—Sparrows and “Merles des lies Philippines" 
(whatever these latter may be) ; and we will help you in im¬ 
porting proper species for this work, having had some ex¬ 
perience in this matter." His Excellency, Admiral Pritzbuer, 
immediately acceded to our request, and armed us with a 
a permis specialand so we don't go “poaching " any more ! 
The first occasion of showing the “ permis " was charming. 
L. L. was returning one morning with some birds on a stick, as 
usual, when he was accosted by a gendarme, who requested 
him to sell the “ gibier " ! He wanted them to eat (these 
fellows have eaten all the imported Pheasants, &c.). On L. 
L.'s refusing, the man, who was joined by the commandant 
of the gendarmerie, suddenly bethought him of the illegality 
2 b 2 
