










246 Mr. P. L. Sclater on Recent 
Andai on the previous occasion, Hr. Waelders sent some 
Papuan boys up to Atam, and obtained a collection of bird- 
skins, which in March of the following year were acquired 
by Dr. Meyer. “It is, therefore, only Italian naturalists 
that have had the good fortune to hunt the most rare and 
most beautiful Paradise-birds in their native forests.” The 
very first day of collecting at Atam, Beccari obtained two 
specimens of Hpimachus maximus, two of Astrapia gularis 
(only found on the most elevated ridges, and almost always 
above 6000 feet in altitude), besides examples of Drepanornis 
albertisi, Paradigalla carunculata, Parotia sexsetacea, and 
various other wonderful species. 
Beccari’s departure from this true naturalist’s Paradise was 
hastened by intelligence that the men on his schooner were 
sick, and that quarrels had arisen between them and the 
natives. Descending to Mansinam on the 18th of July, he 
left for Salawatti, and arrived there on the 21st. The 23rd 
he proceeded to Batanta, an island lying immediately to the 
north of Salawatti, and remained there four days. . Returning 
thence to Ternate in haste, on account of the sickness of 
his crew, Beccari was able to stop only 30 hours at Koffiao 
(called Poppa or Pope on the charts), but obtained thirty 
bird-skins in this little-known Moluccan island, amongst 
which were those of Tanysiptera ellioti*, a Pitta, and Rhipi- 
dura vidua. 
The collections amassed during this most successful expe- 
dition have not yet arrived in Italy, or at any rate are not yet 
worked out. But we are told that they were sufficient to 
fill twenty-one cases, of which six contained birds, and that 
the Papuan birds exceed 2000 in number. In his ornitho- 
logical letter above referred to, Dr. Beccari gives the fol- 
lowing details respecting the principal rarities. 
“ Having referred to my journey, I will tell you what I 
think are the most remarkable in my collection of birds. I 
obtained several birds of prey, not including, however, Astur 
leucosoma, which is not rare at Mansinam (three specimens - 
are in Bruijn’s collection). Of the Owls there are, with mine 
* Sharpe’s Mon. pl. 105, where the locality given is “‘ Mysol.”’ 
SS ee —— 
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- Eee eee ee UL 
a eS. 

