Zoological results of the Dutch New Guinea expedition, 1939. No. 51) The Birds

• Main Author: Junge, G.C.A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: 1953
• Subjects: 42.83; Limicola falcinellus
• Online Access: http://www.repository.naturalis.nl/record/317787; http://www.repository.naturalis.nl/document/149073

The present paper is the report on a collection of birds brought together during the expedition of the "Koninklijk Nederlandsch Aardrijkskundig Genootschap" to the Wissel Lake area in 1939. The zoologist of this expedition Prof. Dr. H. Boschma collected with the assistance of two mantris of the Buitenzorg Museum in this district from mid-August till mid-November, whilst also some collecting work was done at the Etna Bay. Of great importance was the help of the natives, who brought many birds that otherwise would have been difficult to obtain. Included in this report is a small collection made by Mr. J. P. K. van Eechoud in the same district in 1938. For permission to include it here I am indebted to the authorities of the Buitenzorg Museum. Though birds were only one of the many groups of animals that have been collected and no field notes have been made, this collection from an area where never has been collected before, is of much importance. The collection contains, together with that of van Eechoud, 137 species of which 3 are new to New Guinea: Limicola falcinellus (migrant), Porzana pusilla and Megalurus gramineus. Described as new were 12 races of the following species : Rallus pectoralis, Porzana pusilla, Ptilinopus viridis, Ducula rufigaster, Malurus alboscapulatus, M egalurus gramineus, Phylloscopus trivirgatus, Pitohui kirrhocephalus, Neositta papuensis, Ptiloprora guisei, Dicaeum geelvinkianum, Lonchura castaneithorax (cf. Zool. Mededelingen, vol. 31, no. 22, July 11, 1952). Of these 9 originated from the Wissel Lake district, 1 from the Etna Bay, 1 from the southern slopes of the Snow Mountains, and 1 from Meos Num in the Geelvink Bay. Moreover an interesting hybrid between two species