The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1910-06-15
TX9ozL M anlLEN AQIIE

considerable. This is shown in their
wooden images. designed as earthly
habitations for the ghosts Of the de-
parted, likewise in the carved head.
rests and fgure-heads OF praus. which
are generally executed with iron tools.
! Their religion consists mainly Of
saint-worship. and their feasts. which
are held on such occasions as mar.
riages and burials, are celebrated
with singing and dancing. Chiefs are
unknown, each community Of people
living by itself, and in state OF per-
petual warfare with its neighbors.
having different dialect. facts which
have rendered European administra-
ton extremely difficult.
Kinghshers. parrots and pigeons Of
most brilliant plumage are very nu.
merously represented in New Guinea.
and in their way are almost as stri-
king and remarkable as the birds OF
paradise. Among the birds OF prey
the most remarkable known species is
the harpy-goshawk tHarpyopsis).
which is. perhaps. most nearly allied
TO the great monkey-eating eagle
I CPithecophaga) of the Philippines and
to the harpy-eagles of America. There
Is probably also another very large
eagle which up to the present time
has not been obtained. Cassowaries,
brush-turkeys and megapodes are well
/ represented. and among the small
birds We have sun.birds, fower-peck.
ers. honey-eaters and ay-catchers. as
well as many more too numerous to
mention. large number belonging to
peculiar genera and species. 1t is
difficult to forecast what new species
Of 'birds may yet be forthcoming. but
We may safely assume that many nov
elites will be obtained. The same
may be said about the reptiles. in
which the fauna Of New Guinea is par
/ tcularly rich. The cheIonIans. or tor.
toises. and turtles are the most in
teresting group from the mingling OF
Asiatic. American and Australian
types, and for the discovery in the
Fly river. some 25 years ago. OF a
huge fresh-water turtle CCarettoche-
lys tnsculpta). which proves to be the
type OF distinct family. More re.
Gently. snapping.turtle, allied to
Chelydra. has been found in the same
river and described as Devisia myth.
odes The family Chelydridae, or
family snapping.turtles, is otherwise
confined TO North and tropical Amer.
lea, The lizards are essential orien.
tai; a Wallace's line does not exist
for these reptiles. The genera are
most widely distributed. but allusion
may be made to the curious scincoid,
TribolonotGs, with its large spiny
bony shields. and to the remarkable
crested Agamas. Gonyocephalus. Tree
monitors CVaranusl. green or black.
are also characteristic OF the Papuan
fauna. Snakes are represented by
members OF the boa and python
groups. harmless colubrids. poisonous
colubrids-allied to the cobras and
very similar 10 their Australian al
lies-highly poisonous colubrids-
forming the great bulk Of the Austria.
han snake-fauna-and burrowing blind
snakes CTyphlopsJ- Batrachians be.
long 10 the families OF true frogs
CRanidae). tree frogs CHylidae) and
toad-frogs (EngyStomaddae). True
toads CBufonidae). although they are
represented in the Malay sub-region
and in Australia. have not yet been
found in New Guinea nor in the Solo.
mon Islands, which lie TO the east,
Hitherto very few species OF fresh
wafer fishes have been found. and
none which call for any special no.
tee.
The land and fresh.water shells OF
New Guinea. even as far as they are
known at present. are very numerous
in species. aud many OF them. espe.
cially the land.sna!ls. are very beau.
t!ful both in form and color. The
shell.fauna has, however. been only
partially investigated. and doubtless a
large number OF species remain 10 be
discovered. Such a large area OF the
island IS still unexplored conchologi.
cally that Il VIII not be surprising If
many new forms are eventually met
W. r OGILvIE-GRANT.