is bare, and it is of a bright blue and red. Instead of wings it has on
its sides a bunch of horny black spines like porcupine quills. There
are several species which differ in appearance from each other.

Mr Blyth told me there must be at least eighteen species of birds of
paradise, inhabiting different localities. The commonest is yellow with
a long tail of the same colour. We saw numerous pigeons also, and a
curious animal called the cuscus, something like an opossum, with a long
tail, small head, large eyes, and a dense covering of woolly fur. We
observed traces also of other animals, but what they were we could not
make out--perhaps some large species of kangaroo or deer. I mention
these creatures together to show the abundance of animal life in Papua.
But, as may be supposed, we had no time to attend to natural history,
our great object being, as soon as possible, to meet the tribe among
whom our countrymen were said to be living. We travelled on until night
approached, when our guides signified that we must form a camp. They
set to work by first clearing away the grass and examining the
neighbouring bushes to be satisfied that neither snakes nor savage
animals lurked within. They then told Kalong to cut a quantity of
bamboos which grew on the banks of a stream a short distance off. With
these they quickly formed a hut, to which they fixed a floor at some
distance from the ground to serve as a sleeping-place. It was thatched
with large leaves, and was of sufficient size to hold all the party when
somewhat closely packed. Uncle Jack, Blyth, and I kept watch by turns,
though our guides did not seem to consider this necessary. We were not
disturbed with the various sounds which came out of the forest,
produced, however, I believe, rather by insects and birds than by wild
beasts.

Next morning, after cooking several birds which we had shot and taken
our breakfast, we recommenced our journey. We had marched on five or
six miles up a gradual ascent, differing, however, very little from the
ground we had left, when our guides informed us that we were approaching
the village for which we were bound. Soon after we saw in the distance
a large number of leaf-covered huts stretching over a considerable
extent of ground. It was agreed that our guides should go forward, each
provided with some of the articles we had brought to present to the
chief, and to say that some white strangers had arrived who desired t