The Brinkley argus., 1910-10-21


 habitations for the ghosts of the de- parted, likewise in the carved head rests and figure-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 it's neighbors, having a different dialect, facts which have rendered European administra- ton extremely difficult.
 Kingfshers, 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 (Harpyopsis1. which is, perhaps, most nearly allied to the great monkey-eating eagle (Pithecophaga) 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. Discoveries, brush-turkeys and megapodes are well represented, and among the small birds we have sun-birds, flower-peck CTS, honey-eaters and fiy-catchers, as well as many more too numerous to mention, a large number belonging to peculiar genera and species. It Is difficult to forecast what new species of birds may yet be forthcoming, but we may safely assume that many nov cities will be obtained. The same may be said about the reptiles, in which the fauna of New Guinea is par 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 (Carettoche- type of a distinct family. More re- gently, snapping turtle, allied 10 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 ica. The lizards are essential orien- tai; Wallace's line does rot exist for these reptiles. The genera are most widely distributed but allusion may be made to the curious scincoid, Tribolonotus, with it's large spiny bony shields. and 10 the remarkable crested Agamas, Gonyocephalus. Tree monitors (Varanusl, green or hlack are also characteristic of the Papuan fauna. Snakes are represented by members of the hoa and python groups, harmless eolubrids, poisonous olubrids-allied to the ccbras and very similar to their Australian al lies-highly poisonous coiubrids- forming the great bulk of the Austra, lian snake-fauna-and burrowing blind snakes (Typhlops). Batrachians be- long to the families of true frogs tRanidae). tree frogs (Hylidae) and toad-frogs (Engystomatidae) True toads (Bufonidae). 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 water fishes have been found. and none which call for any special no. tice.
 The land and fresh-water shells of New Guinea, even as far as they are known at present. are very numerous in species, and many of them. espe. cially the land-snails, are very beau tiful both in form and color. The shell-fauna has, however, been only partially investigated, and doubtless d large number of species remain to be discovered. Such large area of the island is still umexplored eonchologi eally that it will not be surprising il many new forms are eventually mel
 w. R. OGILNIE-GRANT