Letters, Extracts, and Notes. 
223 
in science assembled from all parts of the world. We can 
assure them that they will receive a hearty welcome and 
learn much that is new to them. 
The B.O.U. Expedition for the Exploration of Central 
New Guinea. —We are glad to say that letters have been 
received from several members of our New-Guinea Expedition 
giving good accounts of its progress so far*. Messrs. Good- 
fellow, Wollaston, Rawlings, and Marshall, who left Mar¬ 
seilles in the P. & O. S.S. ‘ Marmora 3 on the 29th of October, 
arrived at Singapore on November 20th, and at Batavia nine 
days later. They were to start in a few days for Dobbo, 
a much frequented trade-centre in the Aru Islands, weil 
known in former days to Mr. Wallace. Mr. Shortridge, just 
returned from a short expedition to Kangean Island, had 
joined them at Batavia. Mr. Stalker, who had been in 
Ceram, would either come to Batavia too, or go on direct to 
the Ke Islands for the purpose of hiring native carriers, who 
are usually to be met with there. 
The party hoped to be able to land at the selected spot on 
the south coast of New Guinea early in this month. 
News of Mr. Bates. —Our excellent correspondent, Mr. Geo. 
L. Bates, seems to be now quietly settled at Bitye, in 
Southern Kamerun (see map, ‘ Ibis/ 1908, p. 558), where he 
has a “ rubber plantation and collects birds. Writing on 
October 21st, he says he is paying special attention to nestlings 
and is sure there is much to be learned from their study, m 
which we quite agree with him. He wishes to exchange 
specimens vitli a Naturalist living in some adjoining locality 
on the West Coast, so as to extend his knowledge of West 
African Birds. Mr. Bates has recently described three new 
species in the Bulletin of the B. O. U. (xxv. pp. 26-28) 
as Metignomon robustus, Parisoma holospudium, and Pedilo- 
rhynchus brevirostris. 
* Cf. ‘ The Ibis/ 1909, p. 715. 
