On the Birds of the district of Talasea in New Britain
1926; Natural History Museum at Tring; Volume: 33; Linguagem: Inglês
10.5962/bhl.part.21145
ISSN0950-7655
Autores Tópico(s)Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
ResumorTiHE large island of New Britain (Neu Pommern), the largest of the ■*• Bismarck Archipelago, east of New Guinea, is, zoologically, the best-known island of the group ; quite a number of good collectors and ornithologists have been there, and yet it remained almost unknown with the exception of the northernmost peninsula, called Gazelle Halbinsel.It was therefore that Lord Rothschild induced Mr. Albert F. Eichhorn to go to the western parts to collect.As he had no vessel of his own, he was obliged to go where ships could take him, and decided to go to Talasea.Of this district he writes as follows : " Our camp was pitched at 1,200 feet, the place being chosen for the water found there.The mountains above reach an elevation of 3,400 feet, and up to that altitude my men and myself have collected.The surrounding country is dotted with geysers and hot mud springs, and sometimes their sickening sulphur fumes drifted up to and across the camp.The scrub is virgin, huge fieus trees towering above the others.The soil is very loose volcanic young formation.No natural grass patches are within sight, except a little one made around the Government station, hence the absence of birds inhabiting grass-land.The native population inland is very sparse, so it is mostly impossible to get carriers and food."The collection made by Mr. Eichhorn is a very interesting one.It contains specimens of the very interesting and (in collections) rare Henieophaps fo(r<t< * i (only known since 20 years), the rare Henicopernis longicauda inf meatus, Halcyon albonotata !, Monarcha hebetior !, Rhipidura dahli dahli !, and many other fine New Britain birds in beautiful series, as well as two unexpected novelties : Accipiter luteoschistaceus and Turdus talasea.The absence of the much desired Tyto aurantia (Salvad.),E.rcalfactoria lepida, Rallidae, Merops salvadorii, and of Munia is regrettable, but these forms, or at least some of them, do not seem to exist where Eichhorn collected, or may be are extremely rare there.With the help of Reichenow's " Vogel der Bismarckinseln " in Mitt.Zool.Samml.Berlin, i. 3 (1899) it is now comparatively easy to work out a collection from New Britain.Since then, however, several articles on the birds of that island have appeared :Heinkoth, Ornithologische Ergebnisse der " I. Deutschen Siidsee Expedition von Br.Mencke " in Joum.f.Om., 1902 and 1903.Otto Meyer, " Die Vogel der Insel Vuatom," in Natur und Offenbariing, vol.52, 1906.Vuatom, Watom, or Uatom is a small island just north of the Gazelle Peninsula.Meyer observed there not less than 87 different species, which is a considerable number for such a small island.His article contains many valuable biological notes.Most of the specimens which he collected are preserved (mounted) in the convent of the fathers of the Heart of Jesus in/Hiltrup near Minister i. Westf., where I had the pleasure, together with Professor Reichling, to look over the collection.Novitates
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