3 The New York Years (1931–1953)

Expeditions to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands 69
mission center at Sattelberg, where Mayr became totally immersed in a Christian
atmosphere. He participated wholeheartedly because he was quite serious in testing
once more his position toward Christianity. “However,” he wrote in his diary,
“I fear I simply cannot accept the Christian dogma. It demands too much sacrifice
from one’s reasoning.”
(3) Saruwaget Mountains (Fig. 2.10)
Itinerary:
3–8 December 1928 en route from Rabaul to Finschhafen
9 December 1928 en route to Sattelberg
10 December 1928–6 January 1929 at Sattelberg collecting
7–8 January 1929 en route from Sattelberg to Junzaing
9 January–1 February 1929 at Junzaing collecting
2–9 February 1929 en route from Junzaing to Ogeramnang
10 February–4 March 1929 at Ogeramnang collecting
5–7 March 1929 climbing Rawlinson Range (Saruwaget Mts.)
8–12 March 1929 high mountains, collecting
13–14 March 1929 returning to Ogeramnang
15 March–3 April 1929 at Ogeramnang, collecting
4–9 April 1929 en route from Ogeramnang to Finschhafen
10–27 April 1929 at Finschhafen
At first, about ten birds a day were collected which increased with growing experience
of the two Malayan skinners. Mayr’s plan was to search the surroundings
of three stations at different elevations: (1) Sattelberg (700–1,000 m), (2) Junzaing
(1,100–1,400 m), and (3) Ogeramnang (1,600–2,000 m). Christmas and New Year
were spent at Sattelberg. On 7 January 1929 the expedition left for Nanduo, stayed
there overnight, and arrived at Junzaing on the 8th. Interesting birds obtained
at this locality included, e.g., Pseudopitta (Amalocichla) incerta, Sericornis arfakianus,andCasuarius
bennetti. From 18–27 January Mayr visited Sattelberg and
Finschhafen to send off part of his collections but was rather desperate because
the ammunition which he badly needed had not arrived. Now he had to continue
reloading his brass cartridges for the bird guns every evening.
Camp move to Ogeramnang was scheduled for 2 February. They crossed a ridge
and descended into a deep valley reaching Joangeng in the afternoon. The village
of Kulungtufu (1,529 m) was their next home for several days after they had
crossed the deep valley of the Mongi River. Departing for Tobou on 8 February
they reached Ogeramnang on the following day. A watershed between the Kuac and
Burrum Rivers had to be crossed and just before reaching Ogeramnang (1,785 m)
they had to descend once more into a deep valley. This village was the center of
their collecting activity during the next several weeks. Much forest had been cut
and now was interspersed with plantations. Most birds occurred along the forest
edges, while hunting in the deep forest was poor. Mayr listed the names used by the