White-breasted mesite White-breasted mesite The white-breasted mesite ("Mesitornis variegatus") is a ground-dwelling bird endemic to Madagascar. One of three species in the mesite family, Mesitornithidae, it is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It has a small population and is restricted to five sites in the north and west of the island, and one in the east. The white-breasted mesite is a medium-sized terrestrial bird which is often described as rail-like (a family with which the mesites are sometimes placed). The species has a white face with distinctive facial markings (a white supercilium and dark malar
Joint German – British airship expedition to New Guinea Joint German – British airship expedition to New Guinea Prior to World War I, the island of New Guinea was controlled by three European powers: Germany, Great-Britain, and the Netherlands. Although all the three powers had claims concerning the entirety of the territory, very little of the land had actually been explored. The interior of the island was one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, and the colonial powers confined their settlements primarily to the coastal plains. In April 1911, Dr Wegener passed by Sydney, Australia, in the vessel Apia, whilst en route to his appointment as director of