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362. Mr. P. L. Selater on Ornithological 
starting in flight at once may have been magnified into one. 
The flight of the Hornbill is very peculiar, being slow and 
steady, with the noise of a locomotive engine. The noise 
made by the bird in its flight was at first recognized by some 
on board as that of the huge bird seen on the Baxter River ; 
and then the colour of the bird decided the question : so, 
although the spread of this monster’s wings has already been 
reduced to 16 feet, I am obliged to reduce it still further, to 
about 4 or 5 feet. 
“ With respect to the dung seen by Captain Moresby, I may 
remark that a stranger observing for the first time the dung of 
the Cassowary, and not having the experience which he would 
have when resident for some time in the country, would never 
suppose it was produced by a bird; in one of such heaps I 
have counted upwards of forty-three almost undigested seeds 
of the fruit of a Pandanus. It is certainly a matter of sur- 
prise to see the size of the heap of dung deposited by that 
bird in a wild state. 
“T think it will be interesting to mention that in this part 
of New Guinea (nearer to Cape York than Hall Sound), I 
observed that the flora and fauna are more decidedly Pa- 
puan than at Hall Sound, although the latitude is almost the 
same, 
“A number of the species of birds which I procured are 
denizens of New Guinea only; and here I did not see a single 
Eucalyptus ; whilst at Hall Sound I have found species of 
birds common to both Northern Australia and New Guinea, 
and at least two species of Hucalyptus very common, as well 
as many of the North-Australian plants. This, judging from 
the flora and fauna of the Fly River, evidently shows that 
this part of the country is more allied to the north-west part 
of New Guinea than to the eastern portion.” 
I am glad to be able to add that D’Albertis’s excursion 
up the Fly River has attracted a good deal of attention in 
Sydney, and that the Government of New South Wales have 
provided him with a steam-launch for the further prosecution 
of his discoveries. Moreover a public subscription is likely 
to be raised to provide for the expenses of further explora- 
tion in this direction. 

