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ggered at this； and said he； would talk to his wife； and in the meantime I went for a little walk to see the neighbourhood。 When I carne back； I again sent my pilot； saying that I would go away if he would not dive me part of his house。 In about half an hour he returned with a demand for about half the cost of building a house； for the rent of a small portion of it for a few weeks。 As the only difficulty now was a pecuniary one； I got out about ten yards of cloth； an axe； with a few beads and some tobacco； and sent them as my final offer for the part of the house which I had before pointed out。 This was accepted after a little more talk； and I immediately proceeded to take possession。
The house was a good large one； raised as usual about seven feet on posts； the walls about three or four feet more； with a high… pitched roof。 The floor was of bamboo laths； and in the sloping roof way an immense shutter； which could be lifted and propped up to admit light and air。 At the end where this was situated the floor was raised about a foot； and this piece； about ten feet wide by twenty long； quite open to the rest of the house； was the portion I was to occupy。 At one end of this piece； separated by a thatch partition； was a cooking place； with a clay floor and shelves for crockery。 At the opposite end I had my mosquito curtain hung； and round the walls we arranged my boxes and other stores； fated up a table and seat； and with a little cleaning and dusting made the place look quite comfortable。 My boat was then hauled up on shore； and covered with palm…leaves； the sails and oars brought indoors； a hanging…stage for drying my specimens erected outside the house and another inside； and my boys were set to clean their gnus and get ail ready for beginning work。
The next day I occupied myself in exploring the paths in the immediate neighbourhood。 The small river up which we had ascended ceases to be navigable at this point； above which it is a little rocky brook； which quite dries up in the hot season。 There was now； however； a fair stream of water in it； and a path which was partly in and partly by the side of the water； promised well for insects； as I here saw the magnificent blue butterfly； Papilio ulysses； as well as several other fine species； flopping lazily along； sometimes resting high up on the foliage which drooped over the water； at others settling down on the damp rock or on the edges of muddy pools。 A little way on several paths branched off through patches of second…growth forest to cane…fields； gardens； and scattered houses； beyond which again the dark wall of verdure striped with tree…trunks； marked out the limits of the primeval forests。 The voices of many birds promised good shooting； and on my return I found that my boy s had already obtained two or three kinds I had not seen before； and in the evening a native brought me a rare and beautiful species of ground…thrush （Pitta novaeguinaeae） hitherto only known from New Guinea。
As I improved my acquaintance with them I became much interested in these people； who are a fair sample of the true savage inhabitants of the Aru Islands； tolerably free from foreign admixture。 The house I lived in contained four or five families； and there were generally from six to a dozen visitors besides。 They kept up a continual row from morning till nighttalking； laughing； shouting； without intermissionnot very pleasant； but interesting as a study of national character。 My boy Ali said to me； 〃Banyak quot bitchara Orang Aru 〃（The Aru people are very strong talkers）； never having been accustomed to such eloquence either in his own or any other country he had hitherto visited。 Of an evening the men； having got over their first shyness； began to talk to me a little； asking about my country； &c。； and in return I questioned them about any traditions they had of their own origin。 I had； however； very little success； for I could not possibly make them understand the simple question of where the Aru people first came from。 I put it in every possible way to them； but it was a subject quite beyond their speculations； they had evidently never thought of anything of the kind； and were unable to conceive a thing so remote and so unnecessary to be thought about； as their own origin。 Finding this hopeless； I asked if they knew when the trade with Aru first began； when the Bugis and Chinese and Macassar men first came in their praus to buy tripang and tortoise…shell； and birds' nests； arid Paradise birds？
This they comprehended； but replied that there had always been the same trade as long as they or their fathers recollected； but that this was the first time a real white man had come among them； and； said they； 〃You see how the people come every day from all the villages round to look at you。〃 This was very flattering； and accounted for the great concourse of visitors which I had at first imagined was accidental。 A few years before I had been one of the gazers at the Zoolus； and the Aztecs in London。 Now the tables were turned upon me； for I was to these people a new and strange variety of man； and had the honour of affording to them； in my own person； an attractive exhibition； gratis。
All the men and boys of Aru are expert archers； never stirring without their bows and arrows。 They shoot all sorts of birds； as well as pigs and kangaroos occasionally； and thus have a tolerably good supply of meat to eat with their vegetables。 The result of this better living is superior healthiness； well…made bodies； and generally clear skins。 They brought me numbers of small birds in exchange for beads or tobacco； but mauled them terribly； notwithstanding my repeated instructions。 When they got a bird alive they would often tie a string to its leg； and keep it a day or two； till its plumage was so draggled and dirtied as to be almost worthless。 One of the first things I got from there was a living specimen of the curious and beautiful racquet…tailed kingfisher。 Seeing how much I admired it； they afterwards brought me several more； which wore all caught before daybreak； sleeping in cavities of the rocky banks of the stream。 My hunters also shot a few specimens； and almost all of them had the red bill more or less clogged with mud and earth。 This indicates the habits of the bird； which； though popularly a king…fisher； never catches fish； but lives on insects and minute shells； which it picks up in the forest； darting down upon them from its perch on some low branch。 The genus Tanysiptera； to which this bird belongs； is remarkable for the enormously lengthened tail； which in all other kingfishers is small and short。 Linnaeus named the species known to him 〃the goddess kingfisher〃 （Alcedo dea）； from its extreme grace and beauty； the plumage being brilliant blue and white； with the bill red； like coral。 Several species of these interesting birds are now known； all confined within the very limited area which comprises the Moluccas； New Guinea； and the extreme North of Australia。 They resemble each other so closely that several of them can only be distinguished by careful comparison。 One of the rarest； however； which inhabits New Guinea； is very distinct from the rest； being bright red beneath instead of white。 That which I now obtained was a new one； and has been named Tanysiptera hydrocharis； but in general form and coloration it is exactly similar to the larger species found in Amboyna； and figured at page 468 of my first volume。
New and interesting birds were continually brought in； either by my own boys or by the natives； and at the end of a week Ali arrived triumphant one afternoon with a fine specimen of the Great Bird of Paradise。 The ornamental plumes had not yet attained their full growth； but the richness of their glossy orange colouring； and the exquisite delicacy of the loosely waving feathers； were unsurpassable。 At the same time a great black cockatoo was brought in； as well as a fine fruit…pigeon and several small birds； so that we were all kept hard at work skinning till sunset。 Just as we had cleared away and packed up for the night； a strange beast was brought； which had been shot by the natives。 It resembled in size； and in its white woolly covering； a small fat lamb； but had short legs； hand…like feet wi