gorgeously-coloured
lories, have no parallels elsewhere. Of pigeons it possesses about forty
distinct species, among which are the magnificent crowned pigeons, now
so well known in our aviaries, and pre-eminent both for size and beauty;
the curious Trugon terrestris, which approaches the still more strange
Didunculus of Samoa; and a new genus (Henicophaps), discovered by
myself, which possesses a very long and powerful bill, quite unlike that
of any other pigeon. Among its sixteen kingfishers, it possesses the
carious hook-billed Macrorhina, and a red and blue Tanysiptera, the most
beautiful of that beautiful genus. Among its perching birds are the fine
genus of crow-like starlings, with brilliant plumage (Manucodia); the
carious pale-coloured crow (Gymnocorvus senex); the abnormal red and
black flycatcher (Peltops blainvillii); the curious little boat-billed
flycatchers (Machaerirhynchus); and the elegant blue flycatcher-wrens
(Todopsis).

The naturalist will obtain a clearer idea of the variety and interest of
the productions of this country, by the statement, that its land birds
belong to 108 genera, of which 20 are exclusively characteristic of it;
while 35 belong to that limited area which includes the Moluccas and
North Australia, and whose species of these genera have been entirely
derived from New Guinea. About one-half of the New Guinea genera are
found also in Australia, about one-third in India and the Indo-Malay
islands.

A very curious fact, not hitherto sufficiently noticed, is the
appearance of a pure Malay element in the birds of New Guinea. We
find two species of Eupetes, a curious Malayan genus allied to the
forked-tail water-chats; two of Alcippe, an Indian and Malay wren-like
form; an Arachnothera, quite resembling the spider-catching honeysuckers
of Malacca; two species of Gracula, the Mynahs of India; and a curious
little black Prionochilus, a saw-billed fruit pecker, undoubtedly allied
to the Malayan form, although perhaps a distinct genus. Now not one
of these birds, or anything allied to them, occurs in the Moluccas, or
(with one exception) in Celebes or Australia; and as they are most of
them birds of short flight, it is very difficult to conceive how or when
they could have crossed the space of more than a thousand miles, which
now separates them from their nearest allies. Such facts point to
changes of land and sea on a large scale, and at a rate which, measured
by the time required for a c