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Show 1876.] DR. COMRIE ON THE ZOOLOGY OF N E W GUINEA. 423 coast of New Guinea by H.M.S. ' Basilisk,' and read the following remarks :- " In introducing the specimens now exhibited, m y object is to show that something, although small, was done in the way of advancing natural history during the running survey made by H.M.S. 'Basilisk' of the S.E. coast of New Guinea. The opportunities were limited, and the time was short, the vessel arriving on that coast on the 20th of February, 1874, and finally leaving on May 23rd, the portion of coast embraced being from S.E. Cape to Cape Rigny, the E. point of Astrolabe Gulf. A considerable portion of time was spent among the group of islands off East Cape ; but with the exception of the large D'Entrecasteaux group, where many fine butterflies were obtained, 1 did not find these islands at all good collecting-ground, and it was more to the northward, in Huon Gulf, on the mainland, that the richest spoils were captured. This was especially the case with Snakes and Insects, and was partly owing to the woodcutting carried on here to supply fuel for steaming-purposes on our passage to Amboyna. When any specimen considered curious was met with by the men engaged woodcutting, it was invariably saved for the ' Doctor ;' and in this way I am almost entirely indebted to the men and, in some cases, the officers of the ship for what I now show. The mammals, all marsupials, were obtained alongside from the natives, who generally brought them alive, and traded them for pieces of iron hoops, which constitute the current coin all along the coast. With the exception of a Pig and a dun-coloured Dog, no mammals other than marsupials were observed. Some of the specimens are not in the best state of preservation, owing partly to m y having had to leave the cases at Singapore, there having been no room for them in the hold of H.M.S. ' Basilisk,' and also to the plague of ants brought on board with the wood, and which, unless the specimens were kept enveloped in an atmosphere of carbolic acid, very soon made short work of them. " I have no intention on this occasion to do more than generally allude to the collection as a whole, as many of the species are new, and others, although known, have hitherto not been found in New Guinea: the details connected with geographical range, diagnosis of new species, and their description, a work of time, I must leave to abler hands. I will only give a general resume of the more important novelties as kindly furnished me by Mr. Sclater and Dr. Gunther: - " The Mammals are 9 in number ; the most notable of which are 2 Petauri (Flying Squirrels), which differ from their nearest congener, Petaurus ariel, in being of a decidedly rufous tint; but whether specifically distinct can only be ascertained when their skulls have been extracted. The Perameles has lately been described by Dr. Peters as collected by D'Albertis in New Guinea. Two of the Bats have hitherto not been found in N e w Guinea. "The Birds, 13 in number, belong to 11 species, the most important addition being Manucodia (Bird of Paradise), a new species, and which Mr. Sclater has consented kindly to name after myself; this example was the only one either seen or procured. A rather rare Tern, found by Dr. McGillivray in Torres Straits, completes what |