ttiaita xX, et ead, ns wae i sod Reatencacene ro eee ie Epa occas Peas oe Beef coats Noa a i Seca por ita gute ys a Ste Peas esata: ici st se. bi ppt, a Nae it US es NANONDS oo TURE aLeon Hite lia peo ia! ha Bite So hie aatae> ree Ere clo esate ete a ihe ey ie a alia ae ake oe cae Peri ee ae Ae nasacort teats : : 3 seas peaineeas oe tps fe OR BIRDS OOM oP a ae ae BY DANIEL GIRAUD ELLIOT, COMMANDER OF THE ROYAL ORDER OF FREDERIC OF WURTTEMBERG ; KNIGHT THIRD CLASS OF THE ROYAL ORDER OF THE DANNEBROG OF DENMARK; KNIGHT FIRST CLASS OF THE GRAND-DUCAL ORDER OF PHILIPPE LE MAGNANIME OF HESSE; KNIGHT OF THE ROYAL ORDERS OF CHRIST OF PORTUGAL, OF ISABELLA THE CATHOLIC OF SPAIN, OF ST. MAURICE AND ST. LAZARE OF ITALY; FELLOW OF THE LINNEAN AND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETIES OF LONDON, AND OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN OF NEW YORK; MEMBER OF THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA, OF THE NEW-YORK LYCEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, OF THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY, OF THE BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION, OF THE IMPERIAL SOCIETY OF ACCLIMATATION OF PARIS; FOREIGN CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF LISBON ; CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE BOSTON NATURAL-HISTORY SOCIETY, &c. &c.: AUTHOR OF THE ILLUSTRATED MONOGRAPHS OF THE PITTIDA, TETRAONINA, AND PHASIANIDA; OF THE NEW AND HERETOFORE UNFIGURED BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA; &c. &c. . 1873: PRINTED FOR THE SUBSCRIBERS, BY THE AUTHOR. p & a TO ALFRED RUSSEL WALLACE, Esa., WHOSE FAME AS A TRAVELLER IS ONLY ECLIPSED BY THAT WHICH HE HAS GAINED AS A NATURALIST; AND TO WHOM WE ARE INDEBTED FOR NEARLY ALL OUR AUTHENTIC INFORMATION REGARDING THE HABITS OF MANY SPECIES OF THE BIRDS OF PARADISE, THIS VOLUME is DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. AcapeMy oF Narurat Sciences oF PHILADELPHIA, The. Philadelphia. ‘Barciay, Hanbury, Esq. Middleton Hall, Tamworth, England. Branicki, M. le Count Constantine. Paris, France. BrayBrookeE, The Right Hon. the Lord. Audley End, Saffron Walden, England. British Museum, The Library of. London, England. Brooks, Sir Vicror, Bart. Colebrooke Park, Brookboro, Fermanagh, Iveland. Buiinr, W. L., Esq. London, England. Cuoimuey, A. J., Esq. Howsham Hall, Kirkham, York, England. Crawrurp, W. 8. Stirling, Esq. London, England. Crowxey, F.; Esq. Ashdell, Alton, Hants, England. Crow ey, P., Esq. Waddon House, Croydon. Derrsy, The Right Hon. the Earl of. Prescot, England. Drvonsuire, His Grace the Duke of. Derbyshire, England. . Dutau anv Co., Messrs. Knowsley Hall, Chatsworth, London, England. (Two copies.) Durron, The Hon. E. London, England. Eyron, T. C., Esq. Hyton-on-the-Wealdmoors, Wel- lington, Salop, England. Fieips, J., Esq. Manchester, England. Foorrir, W. F., Esq. Newark, England. Foster, J. P. G., Esq. New York. Gopman, F. DuC., Esq. London, England. Gosrorp, The Right Hon. the Earl of. Gosford Castle, Armagh, Ireland. Harcourt, HE. W., Hsq. England. Harrman, J., Esq. Manchester, England. London, England. Nuneham Park, Abingdon, Hurcert, Baron A. von. Jesup, M. K., Esq. New York. Krinestanp, W. M., Esq. New York. Krvo, A., Esq. London, England. Litrorp, The Right Hon. the Lord. Lilford Hall, Oundle, England. Liprary oF THE Paris Museum, The. Paris, France. Marswaut, Capt. C. H. T. Murree, Punjab, India. Mitne-Epwarps, Prof. H. Paris, France. Mitner, H. B. W., Esq. Leeds, England. Parker, Capt. R. T. shire, England. Perkins, J., Cunden Hall, Preston, Laneca- Esq. Downing College, Cambridge, England. Berlin, Prussia. Dublin, Ireland. Paris, France. Royat Lisprary or Beruin, The. Royan Socitery or Dustin, The. Rotruscuitp, M. le Baron A. de. Sporrorp, G. §., Esq. New York. Stuart, R. L., Esq. New York. Sturreart, The Royal Public Library of. Wirttemberg. Stuttgart, Haarlem, Holland. Manchester, England. TryLerR Society, The. Tuompson, J., Esq. University or CampBriper, The Public Library of the. Cambridge, England. Universiry or Coprenuacren, The Library of the. Copenhagen, Denmark. Verreaux, M. J. P. Paris, France. Wa.peEn, The Viscount, F.R.S., P.Z.S. Walden Cottage, Chiselhurst, Kent, England. WaustneHamM, The Lord. Merton Hall, Thetford, Norfolk, England. : Woxr, J., Esq. London, England. The. ZooLocicaAL Society or Lonpon, London, England. re i 4 , - . : - is a | ie ; Sri « a ae -— ae 3 : A - ts - ira Pe hs eal SAG eC okie Tue Birds of Paradise having always attracted me by their strange forms and brilliant plumage, I was led to select them as the subject of my fourth illustrated Monograph. It is only within the last ime or three years that a work like the present could have been published in a similar manner ; for, although the greater number of the species contained in it have been known to naturalists for a considerable period of time, yet the preserved skins reached Europe im such a mutilated condition that no correct idea could be formed of the birds’ appearance in life. Recently, how- ever, through the efforts of enterprising collectors, assisted and encouraged in some cases by their respective govern- ments, the skins of all the known species, with, perhaps, only one or two exceptions, have been forwarded to Europe in perfect condition; and an opportunity has thus been afforded to represent the birds as they appear m their native wilds. Among those who have endeavoured in every manner to advance and benefit the cause of science, I may cite as a notable example the Government of Holland, whose Museum at Leyden is at present unequalled, and whose collectors in the Indian archipelago have, among other most valuable novelties, forwarded many species of Birds of Paradise heretofore unknown in their perfect state. To Prof. Schlegel, therefore, the Director of the Museum named above, I am under the pleasing obligation of acknowledging the valuable assistance received from him in the publication of this work; for he permitted me to bring to London such specimens as were required to be figured for it and were not otherwise obtainable. Mr. Gould, in London, and the late M. J. P. Verreaux, in Paris, who possessed specimens of birds of this family that were not represented im my own collection at the time they were required, most kindly placed them at my service; and although I have endeavoured in all cases to acknowledge my indebtedness to these gentlemen in the articles accompanying the various species, yet I am happy to take this opportunity of renewing my thanks. To Dr. P. L. Sclater, who placed in my hands to be figured for this work the new species described by him, I am greatly obliged. To Mr. F. H. Waterhouse, the efficient Librarian of the Zoological Society, I am under many obligations for his uniform civility and attention whenever I desired to consult the books under his charge. The drawings executed by Mr. Wolf will, I am sure, receive the admiration of those who see them; for, like all that artist's productions, they cannot be surpassed, if equalled, at the present time. Mr. J. Smit has lithographed the drawings with his usual conscientious fidelity, and in his share of the work has left me nothing to desire ; while the printing of the plates by Messrs. M. & N. Hanhart has been most carefully and excellently done. In the colouring of the plates Mr. J. D. White has faithfully followed the originals; and in the difficult portions, where it was necessary to produce the metallic hues, he has been very successful. The letterpress, from the establishment of Messrs. Taylor & Francis, has been printed from new type; and the execution fully sustains the reputation of that house. And in conclusion I would express my acknowledgments to those who have honoured my work with their support, and aided me in bringing it to a successful completion. INTRODUCTION. Amone the many and diversified ornithological groups of which we have any knowledge, there is none that contains species possessing a more extraordinary and abnormal style of plumage than that in which are mcluded the beautiful creatures universally known as Birps or Paraprse. The lands they inhabit, even at the present day, are classed among those with which the civilized world is least acquainted, and which have always, by means of their dense forests, rugged surface, unhealthy climate, as well as the hostility of thew native tribes, presented insuperable obstacles to successful exploration by the naturalist, however ardent and adventurous, who sought to discover their hidden treasures. It is not surprising, therefore, that many and absurdly exaggerated stories have always. been current regardmg the Birds of Paradise; and the announcement that they lived in the air, and hatched their eggs under their wings, obtamed many believers, notwithstanding the acknowledged difficulty of these achievements, particularly the last. The comparatively few skins of certain species which found their way into European cabinets were so mutilated, that any correct idea of the bird’s appearance in life was impossible; and thus representations of them were given, in the early works devoted to ornithology, which now to our eyes (accustomed to view the species in a perfect state) appear very curious. The vivacious and restless disposition of the birds of this family, particularly those belonging to the restricted genus Paradisea, causes them to be always in movement ; and thus, as they were constantly on the wing (resting but for a very short period in the trees), the natives came to harbour the belief that their lives were passed without the birds’ ever perching; and as the skins first sent to Hurope were always deprived of their feet, they were supposed by those who obtained them to be wanting in these useful members; and Linneus, yielding to this fancy, bestowed upon the Great Bird of Paradise the term apoda, or “ footless”°—a most inappropriate name, as we all know. The eggs of the Paradisee, as well as the nest, are as yet unknown. Many authors have written about these birds; and the literature of the family is voluminous. In the following review of this important part of my subject, I have recorded, as I believe, all that was necessary to mention, beginning as usual with the tenth edition of Linneeus’s great work the ‘Systema Naturee,’ published in 1766. LITERATURE OF THE FAMILY. 1766.—Linnavus, ‘Systema Natura.’ Only two species of Paradise-birds were known to the great Swedish naturalist, named respectively by him Paradisea apoda and P. regia. Acridotheres tristis is also included in the same genus. Species 2. 1781.—ForsteEr, ‘ Zootoei1a Inpica SELECTA.’ A polynomial writer, who lost his opportunities of being cited as an authority from the fact of his having given three names to all species, which obliges naturalists of the present day to pass him by without recognition. 1782.—Latuam, ‘GENERAL Synopsis or Brrps.’ All the species of Paradiseidee known at the time are recorded in this work; but unfortunately only English x INTRODUCTION. names were given, and our author’s remissness was Gmelin’s opportunity, who speedily furnished Latin names to the species. Nine different ones are given, and several plates, with figures easily recognizable. 1783.—Boppaerrt, ‘TABLE DES PLancHES ENLUMINEES DE BUFFON.’ ) In this work the author provides Latin names for the various species of Paradise-birds figured by Buffon, and, like this last author, does not discriminate closely, but gives various names in some instances to the same bird in different stages of plumage. They are included in three genera, Paradisea, Upupa, and Manucodia. ‘Thus we have Paradisea sexpennis, P. atra,, and P. speciosa, Upupa speciosa, U. striata, and Manucodia chalybea: of these the Upupa speciosa and U. striata are sexes of the species now known as Epimachus speciosus, Boddaert’s name taking precedence of all others; the rest are all valid. Species 7. 1786.—Scopout, ‘Deuic1a Frorm er Faunaz Insusrica.’ In this work, a small portion of which is devoted to ornithology, the author characterizes and gives Latin names to some of the Birds of Paradise (as well as species belonging to other families) figured by Sonnerat in his “Voyage a la Nouvelle-Guinée.’ Five species are mentioned, all of which, however, had been named by earlier authors. They are:—Paradisea rex (Cicinnurus regius), P. superba (Lophorina atra), P. penicillata (Parotia sexpennis), P. magnifica (Diphyllodes speciosa), and P. viridis (Manucodia chalybea). (1788.—GmMein, ‘Systema Narurz.’ In this edition of Linnzeus’s ‘Systema Naturee’ eight species belonging to the Paradiseidee are recorded :— P. apoda, P. regia, P. magnifica, P. nigra, P. superba, P. aurea, P. alba, and P. viridis. These have since been divided mto various genera, as they present characters which cannot very well be classified under one head. Besides the species just given, this author, copying Linnzeus, includes in his list P. ¢ristis, from the Philippines, which belongs to the genus decridotheres of the Starling group. Species 11. 1790.—Latuam, ‘INDEX ORNITHOLOGICUS. Twelve species of Paradise-birds are given in his list, all included m the genus Paradisea, eight of which are good. P. cwrhata is the Diphyllodes speciosa, P. furcata is Lophorina atra, P. chalybea is Manucodia chalybea; P. leucoptera is difficult to define, probably a made-up specimen. Species 11. 1801.—LatHam, ‘GENERAL Synopsis, SUPPLEMENT. Under the name of Turdus melinus is described a young male Serculus from New Holland, generally known as S. chrysocephalus, which last must become a synonym. Species 12. 1802.—Visittor er AupreBrert, ‘Orsraux Dorus,’ ‘Hisrorrr NarurELLe ev GENERALE DES GRIMPEREAUX ET DES OISEAUX DE PaARaDIs.’ This splendid work, besides those of other families, gives eleven species of the Paradiseidze, with plates of each. French nomenclature is employed upon the plates and headings of the pages; but a few synonyms are given from older authors. No new species are added, the desire of the authors being apparently to present, as far as possible, good figures of those already known. 1806.—Levaintuant, ‘Hisrorre NaTuRELLE DES OIskAUX DE PARADIS.’ In this work, at the time of its publication the finest ever issued upon this Family, twelve species of Paradiseidee are given, the author employing French nomenclature. All the species are figured nearly of the size of life, and generally the females are also represented upon separate plates, and one or two plates of feathers are also given. ‘The letterpress is mainly composed of descriptions of the birds; but the literature of the Family is entirely neglected. 1807.—LevarLuant, ‘Hisrorre NaTurRELLE DES PROoMEROPS ET DES GUEPIERS. Life-size figures of Epimachus speciosus, male, female, and young male, Ptiloris magnificus, and Seleucides alba, are given, all, however, under French names, this author never having employed a Latin nomenclature. INTRODUCTION. xi 1809.—Suaw, ‘GENERAL Zoouogy. Two species are here named for the first time, Paradisea minor and Paradisea sanguinea, which will hereafter take the place of papwana and rubra respectively. Ten other species are also given:—P. major, which is the P. apoda; P. nigra and nigricans, which equal Seleucides alba; P. cirrhata and P. magnifica, the same as Diphyllodes speciosa ; P. superba, which is Lophorina atra; Paradisea sexsetacea (P. seadennis), now composing the genus Parotia ; P. regia; P. aurantia, now the only species of the genus Xanthomelus; P. leucoptera, a made-up bird; and P. gularis, which is Astrapia nigra. Paradisea chalybea, also included, is the Manucodia viridis. Species 14. 1811.—Brcustein, ‘ Kurze Ursersicut ALLER BEKANNTEN VOGEL.’ A list of fifteen so-called species is given, similar to previous ones. None are described for the first time; P. sanguinea, of Shaw, is renamed rubra; and P. sexsetacea (P. sexpennis) is called P. violacea. 1811.—Suaw, ‘Generat Zooioey.’ The Epimachus speciosus is here called by three different names, and placed in the genus Promerops, viz. P. striatus, P. superbus, and P. paradiseus, all of which must become synonyms of the name bestowed upon the species by Boddaert. 1815.—Paykuuu, ‘Nova Acra Socretatis Screntiarum UPpsALiEnsIs.” Ailuredus crassirostris, first described as Lanius crassirostris. Species 15. 1816.—Vie1tiot, ‘Nouveau Dictionnaire D’Hisrorre NATURELLE.’ Ptilonorhynchus violaceus described as Pyrrhocorax violaceus. Species 16. 1819.—Vie1ti0or, ‘Nouveau Dicrionnatrre D’ Histoire NAaturewue.’ In the genus Promerops, among various species of birds, Vieillot here includes some species of Paradise-birds of the genus Epimachus and Ptiloris. The P. magnificus is named Le Promerops proméfil (Falcinellus magnificus) ; and Epimachus maximus is called Le Promerops a paremens frisés (Falcinellus superbus). A figure (uncoloured) of each is also given. 1820.—Kuutu, ‘Brytrrace zur ZooLoGi§ v. VERGLEICH. ANATOMIE.’ Ptilonorhynchus violaceus redescribed as P. holosericeus. 1822.—Latuam, ‘Grenerat History or Birps.’ ° A long list of twenty supposed species of Birds of Paradise is included in this author’s account; but no new ones are added, which is just as well, as they could not be credited to him, since he only uses English nomen- clature. Some are founded upon drawings, others upon evidently manufactured specimens, and some on incomplete descriptions. Nearly all the true species known at the time the work was written are included. 1825.—Temminck, ‘PLANcHES CoLORIEES.’ Sericulus melinus is described and figured as Oriolus regens. 1825.—VirILLoT, ‘GALERIE DES OISEAUX.’ Very fair figures of P. regia, P. seapennis, P. atra, P. sanguinea, and Astrapia nigra are given, the last three called respectively superba, rubra, and gularis. 1825.—SWaAINson, IN THE ‘ ZooLOGICAL JOURNAL.’ Ptiloris paradiseus is first described ; and Seréculus melinus is renamed Chrysocephalus. Species 17. 1825-1839.—JARDINE anD Setsy, ‘ILLusTRATIoNS or OrniTHoLoey,’ 4to, vol. il. Ptilonorhynchus (Chlamydodera) nuchalis described for the first time. Species 18. XU INTRODUCTION. 1826.—Suaw, ‘GrnEeRAL ZooLocy. A list of the Birds of Paradise is given under various genera :-—Astrapia nigra ; Parotia aurea,. which is P. sexpennis; Paradisea is made to contain apoda, minor, rubra (which is sanguinea), nigricans (a synonym of Seleucides alba), and magnifica (now known as Diphyllodes speciosa) ; Lophorina includes superba (which is aéra) and auantia (which is the Xanthomelus aureus of the present monograph) ; Cicinnurus contains its single species regius ; and Epimachus, possessing two species—superbus (which is 2. speciosus) and splendidus (which is Péiloris magnificus) . 1826.—Lesson, ‘ VoyYAGE DE LA CoauriLueE.’ Manucodia Keraudreni and Phonygama atra described. Species 20. 1827.—WaeterR, ‘Systema AviuM.’ All the known species of those birds usually placed by the previous authors im the genus Paradiseus are given, with descriptions and synonymy. Under the genus Ptilonorhynchus are given holosericeus, squamulosus, and viridis. The second of these is the same as the first or Satin Bower-bird; and the last is the dluredus crassirostris. 1827.—Vicors anp Horsrretp, ‘TRANSACTIONS oF THE LINNEAN Society. Ptilonorhynchus violaceus is here renamed P. MacLeayn. 1828-1831.—J. Witson, ‘Inuusrratrons or Zoonoey.’ Ptiloris paradiseus is renamed Lpimachus Brisbani. 1829.—Cuvier, ‘ REGNE ANIMAL.’ Falcinellus magnificus, Vieill., described as Epimachus magnificus. 1831.—Lesson, ‘TRAITE D’ORNITHOLOGIE.’ The various species of Birds of Paradise are here given, the Sericulus melinus of Australia bemg included in the family; and the Paradisea aurea of authors is placed in the same genus with the Regent bird. Four genera previously instituted are here employed as subgenera, viz. Parotia, Lophorina, Manucodia, and Astrapia, and one new one proposed, Magnificus. No new species are described. 1832.—J. E. Gray, ‘Inzusrrarions or Inpian Zoonoey.:’ Paradisea minor figured nearly size of life. 1835.—Lusson, ‘Hisroirr Narurevis pes OrsEAuX DE PARADIS, ET DES EPIMAQUES. This work contains those species regarded by the author as composing the family Paradiseidee. Fourteen species in all are given, illustrated by forty plates. The species of the genera Manucodia, Chlamydodera, Ailuredus, and Ptilonorhynchus are excluded, while Sericulus is retained and is made to include the qralcnon Regent bird as S. regens, and also the Golden Bird of Paradise as S. aurantiaca. Cicinnurus regius appears as C. spinturnix ; and other changes are made in the various species, as though the author paid little regard to the law of priority, or to the names bestowed by authors previous to himself. A rather full list of synonyms is given at the commencement of the work, and a detailed account of certain of the Hast-Indian islands; but little is added to our knowledge of the birds of this family, beyond that which had already been published in the author's previous writings and in those of his contemporaries. Great care has evidently been taken with the work; and it has up to the present day been quoted as one of the chief authorities on the Paradiseidee, the author's voyage to New Guinea having given him favourable opportunities for observing some of the species in their native woods, and for obtaining skins of others more rare. No new species are described. 1835.—Temminck, ‘ PrancnuEes Conortces.’ Alluredus buccoides first described Species 21. 1836.—Gouxnp, ‘PRocEEDINGS oF THE ZooLoGicaL Socinty. Chlamydodera maculata described as Calodera maculata. Species 22. INTRODUCTION. Xill 1837.—SwaInson, ‘CLASSIFICATION OF BirDs.’ A definition of the genus Ptilonorhynchus is given, with woodcuts of the head and portion of the wing. 1837.—GouLp, ‘ ProcEEDINGs or THE ZooLocicaL Sociery or Lonpon.’ Sericulus melinus is here redescribed as S. magnirostris. 1837.—Gou.p, ‘ Birps or AUSTRALIA.’ In this magnificent work are figured the species of this family mhabiting Australia known up to the time it was completed. They are:—Ptilonorhynchus holosericeus and Atlureedus Smithii, which are P. violaceus and A. crassirostris ; Chlamydodera nuchahs; C. maculata; Sericulus melinus; and Craspedophora magnifica, which is the Ptiloris Alberti. 184].—-Eypoux rr SovuLryet, ‘ VoYAGE AUTOUR DU MONDE sUR LA corverre La Bonrrs.’ Paradigalla carunculata first described as Astrapia carunculata. Species 238. 1845.—G. R. Gray, ‘GEeNeER«A or Birps.’ In this work the author has placed the Paradiseidze, as so considered in this monograph, among various families. Paradiseus, the only genus of Paradiseidze, is made to contain seven species—apoda, papuana, rubra, speciosa, regia, atra, and seapennis, all good. Ptilonorhynchus, Chlamydera (lege Chlamydodera), and Astrapia are placed among the Sturnide. The first contains P. holosericeus and P. Smithi, which are P. violaceus and Aluredus crassirostris respectively ; the second has C. nuchalis and C. maculata; while the third has the two known species 4d. mgra and A. carunculata. Nothing new regarding any of the species is mentioned; the synonymy given is very correct, except that the species obtained by Hombron and Jacquinot is the Chlamydodera nuchalis (and not C. maculata, to which it is referred), and the Sturnoides gigas of the same authors is more probably a Calornis, in which genus Mr. Gray has placed it in his ‘Hand-list of Birds,’ lately published. The genus Phonygama is placed among the Corvidee, and contains viridis, Keraudreni, and ater. These are now included in Boddaert’s genus Manucodia. 1849.— Bonaparte, ‘Comrres Renpvs.’ Diphyllodes respublica first described under the genus Lophorina. Species 24. 1849.—Gou.p, ‘ ProceEpiInes or THE ZooLtocicaL Society or Lonpon.’ Ptiloris victorie is here first described. Species 25. 1850.—Bonaparre, ‘Conspectus GeNERUM AvIUM.’ The Birds of Paradise are included by this author in the families Epimachidee, Paradiseidee, Sturnide, and Garrulidee. All the species known at the time of the publication of this useful work are included, with short descriptions added for many of the species. The genera, as they are now usually employed, are here placed in regular order. 1850.—Casanis, ‘Museum Herneanum.’ A list of Paradise-birds comprised in the Collection of Ferdinand Heine. The species are all included in the family Paradiseidee, divided into two subfamilies, Oriolinze containing, among many others, the genera Sericulus, Chlamydodera, and Ptilonorhynchus. The subfamily Paradiseinze comprises Paradisea, Cicinnurus, Ptiloris, Craspedo- phora, Seleucides, and Epimachus. Twelve species are given as represented in the Collection. 1850.—Goutp, ‘ ProcrEpINGs or THE ZooLoGicaL Socrery or Lonpon.’ Chlamydodera cervinwentris first described. Species 26. 1850.—Cassin, ‘JouRNAL oF THE AcADEMyY or Naruran Sciences or PHILADELPHIA.’ Diphyllodes respubhea renamed as Paradisea wilsoni. XIV INTRODUCTION. 1858.—Gray, ‘Procrnpines or THE ZooLtoeicaL Society or Lonpon.’ Ailurcedus melanotis described in the genus Ptilonorhynchus; also the Paradisea apoda, from Aru, is deseribed as P. Wallaciana. Species 27. —1859.—G. R. Gray, ‘Procrrpines or tHE Zoonocican Socrery or Lonpon.’ Semzoptera We allace: first described. Species 28. 1859.—Gray, ‘PRocEEDINGS oF THE ZooLtocgicaL Socrery or LonpoN.’ The variety P. Wallaciana, referred to above, is here erased by the author from the list, as not entitled to any specific consideration. 1859.—G. R. Gray, ‘Procerprnes or THE ZooLocicaL Society or Lonpon.’ Manucodia Keraudreni, from Australia, separated as distinct, and ealled M. Gouldz. 1860.—Goopwin, ‘ ProcEEDINGS OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SociETY oF LONDON.’ A young male of Paradisea minor described as distinct under the name of P. Baritlettu. 1862.—WaALuace, ‘ PROCEEDINGS OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SocieTy oF LONDON.’ Some valuable remarks are given upon the geographical distribution of the Birds of Paradise, and also the ereat difficulties existing in their capture. 1862.:—GouLp, ‘PRocEEDINGS OF THE ZooLoGicaL SocreTy or LONDON.’ Chlamydodera guttata described from a head. 1867.—ScuHLeGeL, ‘Museum pv Histoire NatTurELLE DES Pays-Bas.’ A. catalogue of the species m the Leyden Museum. ‘They are arranged in the following genera :—Paradisea, Epimachus, Sericulus, and Ptilonorhynchus, including in the last the species of Bower-birds of the genus Chlamydodera. The number of specimens shows -how rich that Museum is in the birds of this family. 1867.—Di1ee.Es, ‘ORNITHOLOGY oF AUSTRALIA.’ A hybrid between Ptlonorhynchus violaceus and Sericulus melinus is described and figured as Ptilonorhynchus Rawnsley. 1869.—Watuuacr, ‘Martay ARCHIPELAGO. In this valuable and interesting work a full account of the habits of the different species of Paradiseidee observed by the author, as well as their geographical distribution, is given, to which is added a list of the species considered to belong to the family. Eighteen species are recorded; those belonging to the genera Sersculus, Ptilonorhynchus, Chlamydodera, Atluredus, and Manucodia are not imcluded. The Paradise-Oriole is placed with a query in the genus Sericulus, and an opinion expressed that it would be more properly placed im a genus by itself, which has been done in this Monograph. 1870.—Gray, ‘Hanp-tist or Birps.’ This, the latest of Mr. Gray’s publications, gives all the species included in this Monograph. The classi- fication is nearly the same as in his previous writings, and the Paradiseide are placed in three families— Paradiseidee, Sturnidee, and Oriolide. The Regent and Bower-birds are removed from the Sturnide ( where they were placed in the ‘Genera of Birds’) and made a subfamily (Ptelonorhynchine) of the Oriolidee. 1871.—Eutiot, ‘ProckEDINGS oF THE ZooLocicaL Sociery or Lonpon.’ A review of the genus Péloris is given, with a rectification of synonymy, and P. Alberti described for the first time as distinct from P. magnifica. Species 29. INTRODUCTION. XV 1871.—ScuHiLecen, ‘Tispscurirr voor pE DiErRKUNDE.’ Sericulus «anthogaster and Ptilonorhynchus imornatus first described as distinct species, from New Guinea. Species 31. 1872.—Euuior, ‘ Isis.’ A paper upon some of the species of Paradiseidee, in which two genera are described, namely Xanthomelus and Amblyorns for the Sereculus aureus and Ptilonorhynchus inornatus respectively, and the Sericulus xantho- gaster, Schleg., referred to the genus Chlamydodera, as being the nearest allied to the C. cervinewentris, Gould. 1873.—Scuiater, ‘Procrepines or THE ZooiocicaL Socrery or Lonpon,’’ Drepanornis Albertis: and Paradisea Raggiana described. Species 33. CLASSIFICATION. To the majority of persons a Bird of Paradise is a creature possessed of a mass of elegant and_ brightly coloured waving plumes, these not unfrequently springing from unusual—indeed, almost incredible places. It may therefore, perhaps, be a subject of surprise that I should include in the family of the Paradiseide several plain birds remarkable in no degree for their plumage, and in some instances devoid entirely of that excessive and often exquisite adornment which the typical members of the family possess in such an eminent degree. But I believe I am fully warranted in admitting among the Paradiseidz all the species that are enumerated in this volume; and although some may not possess altogether the dress of a Bird of Paradise, they nevertheless show their affinity to them by peculiar habits, and by the exhibition of an unusual economy, not forgetting to mention also a resemblance in osteological structure. An unbroken line of arrangement for the Paradiseide is impossible; for, as is the case with nearly all ornithological groups, many links in the chain are wanting, and these have to be supplied by more or less plausible theories. These, however, do not affect to any great degree the reasons that have permitted the species treated of in this Monograph to be regarded as members of the family. I have deemed it unnecessary to divide the entire group into more than three subfamilies, viz. Paradiseinse, Epimachinee ; and for the third I would propose the term Tectonarchine, comprising those species which are in the habit of erecting bowers in which to disport themselves and exhibit their plumage. The first of these subfamilies contains the typical Birds of Paradise and their allies, and would be represented by the following genera :—Paradisea, Manucodia, Astrapia, Parotia, Lophorina, Diphyllodes, Xanthomelus, Cicinnurus, Paradigalla, and Semioptera. The second possesses those species which are characterized by long, slender, somewhat curved bills ; they are:—Lpimachus, Drepanornis, Seleucides, and Ptiloris. And the third is composed of five genera, viz. Sericulus, Ptilonorhynchus, Chlamydodera, Aluredus, and Amblyornis. I am well aware that the present arrangement and restriction of the genera and species of the birds constituting the Paradiseidee is very different from that of any author who has had occasion to treat of the family. With the majority the genera included above have been widely separated in the various classifications attempted, and not only have they constituted portions of different families, but they have even been arranged under distinct Orders. The older authors, such as Linnzeus and Gmelin, knew comparatively few of the species included in this Monograph; and the latter placed them all in the genera Paradisea and Upupa of the order Pica. Cuvier arranges those species that were known to him, some in the genus Paradisea in the family Conirostres of his Passeraux, and the rest in the fourth family, or Tenuirostres, of the same order. Vieillot has them in the seventh family of his Anisodactyli, just preceding the Corvidee. Lesson places all the species with which he was acquainted in the family Paradisei, excepting his genus Phonygama (Manucodia of this work), which he puts im the family Laniidee, tribe Dentirostres. Gray, in his great work on the genera of birds, scatters the species included in this Monograph among various tribes and families. The Paradiseide he makes the second family of the tribe Conirostres, and restricts them to seven species—P. apoda, P. minor, P. sanguinea, P. speciosa, P. regia, P. atra, P. sempennis, ranging them all under the genus Paradisea; Phonygama is placed among the Corvidee of the same INTRODUCTION. XV1 tribe. Epimachus, in which he also includes the species of Ptiloris and Seleucides, he makes his second subfamily of the Upupidee (of the tribe Tenuirostres in the order Passeres). Sericulus is placed in the fourth subfamily, Oriolinze, of the Turdine, tribe Dentirostres; while Chlamydodera, Ptilonorhynchus, and Astrapia are found in the first subfamily of the Sturnide, tribe Conirostres. Schlegel extends the Paradiseidee further than I am able to follow. He places it in his Coraces, and comprises all his genera in one subfamily, Paradiseee. The genera are :—Paradisea, Epimachus, Sericulus, Oriolus, Ptilonorhynchus, Chalybeus, Cracticus and Lycocoraz, arranged as enumerated, and containing all the species composing this Monograph, and some more, but having little affinity with the Paradiseidze, that I am able to discover. Cabanis, in the ‘Museum Heineanum,’ places this family among the Oscines, making Sericulus follow close after Oriolus of the Orioline, and separated from Chlamydodera and Ptilonorhynchus (also placed in the same subfamily) by Sphecotheres. The second subfamily (Paradiseinze) contaims the true Birds of Paradise; while the third (Epimachinee) comprises the species allotted to it in the present work. Bonaparte has divided the members of the Paradiseidee, as here restricted, to a greater degree than almost any other author. Epimachidee and Paradiseidz constitute respectively the fifty-eighth and fifty-ninth families of his Passeres, tribe Volucres; Sericulus is placed in the family Oriolidze, Phonygama in the Garrulidee, as are also Chlamydodera and Ptilonorhynchus ; and Astrapia and Paradigalla are found in the family Sturnidee. Blyth, in his ‘Catalogue of Birds in the Museum of the Asiatic Society,’ makes the Paradiseidee a subfamily (Paradiseinee) of the Corvidee, and includes, besides Paradisea apoda, papuana, and sanguinea and (Cicinnurus) regis and paradiseus (Ptiloris), Sericulus (Chrysocephalus) melinus, Ptilonorhynchus holosericeus (violaceus), P. Smithi (Aluredus crassirostris), and Corcorax leucopterus—thus, with the exception of the last species, agreemg mainly with the arrangement I have made of the family in the present work. It will thus be seen that authors generally have considered that the species which I have deemed to compose the Paradiseidee belonged to many families and orders, but that they have m no wise agreed among themselves as to the proper disposition of the species. It is often a matter of great difficulty to give an animal its right position in the natural system; and an acceptable arrangement of the members in any group can only be effected after a careful investigation and comparison have been made as to their natural affinities in both their anatomical structure and outside covermg; and this unfortunately is in very many instances impossible, the necessary material not bemg available to enable such studies to be carried out. Animals that present no outward similarity, so far as their appearance goes, often prove their affinities to each other by the exhibition of the same habits; and when these last are unusual and cause their possessors to be conspicuous members of the fauna in the district which they inhabit, it would be very unwise to pass them over as of no consequence in the animal’s systematic position, and to regard them only as resulting from eccentric dispositions bestowed for no special purpose. In restricting the Paradiseidee to the species contained in this work, I have been influenced both by their osteological affinities and im the case of such genera as compose my third subfamily, Tectonarchinee, by their possessing the same extraordinary habit of bower- building, from which they have derived their trivial name. Some of the reasons which have induced me to consider the Tectonarchinee members of this family are the following :—Sericulus, whose single species is unquestionably a Bower-bird, possesses on the head the peculiar, firm, upright, and closely pressed feathers which constitute one of the chief characteristics of the true Birds of Paradise, and by this, together with its osteological structure, exhibits its close affinity to the members of the genus Paradisea. In its habit of constructing a bower, in which both sexes are accustomed to practise various evolutions for their amusement, we have a similarity of economy to the typical Bower-birds, and one of such an unusual character as to make it of paramount importance when looking for the natural affinities of these birds. But the relationship of the members of this subfamily to those of the Paradiseinze is further shown in the fact that, although the species of true Bower-birds composing the genus Chlamydodera do not possess feathers upon the head of a like texture as is to be seen in Sericulus and Paradisea, yet some of them exhibit in their brilliant nuchal crests, observable on, the males, an affinity to another genus of Paradise-birds, that of Diphyllodes, vweltveln has, also only in the males, a similar adornment, but of a more exaggerated form. With regard to the osteological Sinica of the Bower-birds and true Birds of Paradise, Dr. Murie has been kind enough at my request to make comparisons between the skeletons in the British Museum (of three species), with the following results :-— INTRODUCTION. XVII SIMILARITIES. Paradisea papuana. Sericulus melinus. Ptilonorhynchus violaceus. SKULL: General contour of occiput Temporal groove ; 4 2 Mandible, angle &c. ; : E Alike in all three species. Mandible in its posterior imterosseous space Proportions of bill STERNUM AND SHOULDER-GIRDLE : ; Notch of sternum deeply cleft. Proportionally less so in S. melinus and P. violaceus. Excepting this, the sternum and shoulder-girdle in all three species have a very close resemblance. PELVIS: Very nearly alike; but in S. melznus and P. violaceus the pubes are wider and larger. TARSUS: Has a well-marked anterior upper grooving. Less. Intermediate between the other two. DISTINCTIONS in SKULL. Nasal orifices round, basal. Elongate-oval. 5 3) Mandible wider at base or root than maxillaries. Narrower. - a Rudimentary basipterygoids present. Totally wanting. 3 » The general construction of the base of the skulls is of a similar type, excepting the Vomer, which is cleft posteriorly. Partially or not cleft. Intermediate between the other two. It will thus be seen from the above comparisons, that, with the exception of the skull, there is no difference of any consequence exhibited in the osteological structures of the three species, and even in the skull itself the chief point is that the vomer of Paradisea is cleft, while that of the other two are only partially so; but this fact in itself is not sufficient to exclude the Bower-birds from the family Paradiseidee, simce it is not by any means a constant character; for some Passeres have a cleft vomer and others have not. ‘The anterior upper grooving in the tarsus of Paradisea is strongly marked, but hardly perceptible in Sericulus. In Ptilonorhynchus, however, it is clearly present, though not to so great an extent as in Paradisea, thus appearmg to be an intermediate state, and connecting the two other genera. The Regent birds and Bower-birds are, then, closely connected both in their osteological structure and economy; and in whatever family the one is placed. the other must of necessity go also; and as the first in its plumage (which is essentially of the character of that of the true Birds of Paradise) and also in its skeletal structure shows a close affinity to Paradisea, it follows that its natural position would be in the same family as the species of that genus. In the economy of the members of the true Birds of Paradise and the Bower-birds there is a similarity of habit that should not be passed over without notice; this is, the custom of each to indulge in eccentric movements at certain periods of the year. Thus, as is well known; the Bower-birds disport themselves m their slender structures; and Mr. Wallace has also shown us how the Paradisea apoda have thew “sacaleli” or dancing parties in the trees, when the males assume all kinds of strange positions, and elevate and display their plumes in an extraordinary way. It is not at all improbable that all the members of this family possessed of unusual plumage have also methods of exhibiting the beauties of their dress in a like extravagant manner. ) It is very evident that the true position of the Paradiseide, in the natural system, is just before the Corvide ; and from the members possessing various and important characters by which they differ altogether from the species composing that group, I would raise them to the rank of an independent family, and not, as Mr. Blyth has done, consider them only a subfamily of the Crows. like those of many other families of birds, the members of the present one, although connected as I have shown by many prominent and peculiar features, do also possess certain characters that would seem to show an inclination to species belonging to other groups. Thus Seleucides alba would appear to incline towards Irrisor, their elongate preemaxille being not unlike, though differmg materially at the XVill INTRODUCTION. root and at the junction with the prefrontals; yet there are too many radical and important dissimilarities for them ever to be classed in the same family. With regard to Upupide, in which some authors have placed certain Birds of Paradise*, Dr. Murie has shown that the members of the two families are not nearly related. GENERA. To the various members of this family many genera have at times been assigned; and in a great number of instances more cogent reasons can be given for such a procedure than is generally the case when these divisions have been instituted in some other branches of ornithology. The wide divergence in form and structure of the plumes of the species of Paradiseidze seems to. call for a rather larger number of generic distinctions than is usual when comparatively such a few number of species are considered ; but I believe that sufficient grounds exist for us to recognize those that have been adopted in this work. Of course many proposed genera have been instituted upon insufficient grounds, and others would not answer for even subgeneric divisions. The following are all the genera that have been proposed since the time of Linnzeus :— 1760.— Paradisea, Linneeus, Systema Nature . : 4 z 3 . : Type Paradisea apoda. 1783.—Manucodia, Boddaert, Tableau des Planches Enluminées de Buffon : Type Manucodia chalybea. 1816.—Astrapia, Vieillot, Analyse . é . ’ d 4 2 ‘ ; Type Astrama migra. Parotia, te - ; ; : ‘ 3 : ; : : Type Parotia sexpennis. Lophorina, ,, fe 5 4 : Type Lophorina atra. Falcinellus, ,, » (lersocenjpres)) . : : ‘ F . a Type Epimachus speciosus. 1817.—Epimachus, Cuvier, Regne Animal . : 2 , . : ite Type A ‘, 1820.—Ptilonorhynchus, Kuhl, Beitrage zur Zoologie . : ; : : : Type Ptilonorhynchus violaceus. 1823.—Cicinnurus, Vieillot, Tableau Encyclopédique et Méthodique . ; , Type Cicinnurus regius. 1825.—Ptiloris, Swainson, Zoological Journal . : 4 : : : ; Type Ptiloris paradiseus. Sericulus, a a er : 5 : : 2 5 ; Type Sericulus melinus. 1828.—Phonygama, Lesson, Manuel d’Ornithologie . : : ; : : Type Manucodia Keraudreni. 1835.—Seleucides, Lesson, Oiseaux de Paradis . shee 5 : : ? i Type Seleucides alba. Diphyllodes, _,, . : ; : : : ; : : Type Diphyllodes speciosa. Cinnamolegus, ,, = et ate ; . k ; ; 3 Type Epimachus speciosus. Paradigalla, ,, e is ; : : : : Type Paradigalla carunculata. 1836.—Calodera, Gould, Proceedings of the Zoological Society . F : E Type Chlamydodera maculata. 1837.—Chlamydera, Gould, Birds of Australia . H : : : : ' Type ry - 1840.—Nematophora, G. R. Gray, List of the Genera of Birds. : 4 4 Type Seleucides alba. 1848.—Craspedophora, G. R. Gray, Gen. of Birds ge ai ; 3 : Type Ptiloris magnificus. 1850.—Chlamydodera, Cabanis, Museum Hemeanum . ; ; ; : : Type Chlamydodera nuchalis. Aluredus, 5 és : ; : : : ; Type dluredus crassirostris. 1854.—Xanthomelus, Bonaparte, Ann. d. Sc. Nat., Ser. iv. Zool. (1854) dese. null. . Type Xanthomelus aureus. * Ibis, April 1873. INTRODUCTION. XIX 1860.—Semioptera, G. R. Gray, Proceedings of the Zoological Society . : , Type Semioptera Wallacii. 1866.—Schlegelia, Bernstein, Nederlandsch Tijdschrift voor de Dierkunde . : Type Diphyllodes respublica. 1872.—Amblyornis, Elliot, Ibis. : : : ) i ; : , Type Amblyorms inornata. 1873.—Drepanornis, Sclater, Proceedings of the Zoological Society . : ; Type Drepanorms Albertisi. I here review the species of the family, adding whatever information may have been received of any of them since the articles accompanying the plates of the birds were published. . REVIEW OF THE FAMILY. Faminy PARADISEID &. Suspramity PARADISEIN A. Gunus PARADISEA. Paradisea, Linn. Syst. Nat. (1760) vol. i. p. 166. Type P. apoda. 1. Paradisea apoda . : , . , : , ; ‘ ‘ : 5 : F Plate II. 2. Paradisea Raggana . ; : : ‘ : ' 3 : ; : , Plate IIT. 3. Paradisea minor . : , ‘ ; , 7 ; , : ‘ : : ; Plate IV. 4. Paradisea sangmnea . ; ; : ; ne Sate : 3 : , : : Plate V. Genus MANUCODIA. Manucodia, Bodd. Tab. Plan. Enl. de Buffon (1783). Type WM. chalybea. 5. Manucodia chalybea 4 . ; 2 : : : : : : d : Plate VI. 6. Manucodia atra . ' , : : : : : : : , , . ' Plate VII. 7. Manucodia Keraudreni . , ; 3 . ; ; : : : ; , ; Plate VIII. Genus ASTRAPIA. Astrapia, Vieill. Analyse (1816), p. 36. Type 4. migra. 8. Astrapia mgra ; i : ; ; ‘ ; ; : : ; ; : Plate IX. Genus PAROTIA. Parotia, Vieill. Analyse (1816), p. 35. Type P. seapennis. 9. Parotia sexpenms ‘ : : ; ; : ; i : : 4 z ; Plate X. M. d’Albertis, the latest traveller in New Guinea, writes as follows regarding this bird :—‘“ Although this species has been known many years, it is not yet accurately understood, having only been described from birds in a mutilated condition. My observations have been made in the natural haunts of these elegant birds, from numerous specimens both living and dead. These birds are found in the north of New Guinea. I met with them about thirty miles from the coast, at an elevation of 3600 feet above the level of the sea, near Mount Arfak. I have TOK INTRODUCTION. never found the adult male in company with females or young birds, but always in the thickest parts of the forests; the females and young birds I have generally found in a much lower zone. This Paradise-bird is very noisy, uttering a note like ‘Guwaad-guaad; it feeds upon various kinds of fruits, more especially on a species of fig which is very plentiful in the mountain-ranges; at other times I have observed it feeding on a small kind of nutmeg. ‘To clean its rich plumage this bird is in the habit, where the ground is dry, to scrape, similar to a gallinaceous bird, a round place clear of all grass and leaves, and in the dust produced by the clearing to roll over and over again, at the same time crying out, extending and contracting its plumage, elevating the brilliant silvery crest on the upper part of its head, and also the six remarkable plumes from which it derives the specific name of seapennis. On seeing its eccentric movements at this time, and hearing its cries, one would consider it to be engaged in a fight with some imaginary enemy. This bird is named ‘ Caran-a’ by the natives. I have also a skeleton of a young male of this species, which, although not in a perfect state, may no doubt be interesting as showing the form of the cranium, on which there is an admirable muscular structure which enables the bird to elevate the feathers of the head. The feathers at the nape of the neck exhibit, when the rays of light strike upon them, a rich and brilliant metallic hue. The eyes are of a light blue, with a circle of a pale yellowish green colour.” Genus LOPHORINA. Lophorina, Vieill. Analyse (1816), p. 35. 10. Lophorina atra . : : : : 3 i : : : : : j . Plate XI. M. Albertis, who obtained this species in New Guinea, says “it is found in the same mountains as the last- named species (P. seapennis), and feeds upon similar fruits. It flies from branch to branch in the forests, uttermg a ery of ‘med-nied, and from this peculiar note is named by the natives ‘ Niedda. The muscles used in the elevation of the crest of P. sexpennis are surprising, but are surpassed in size by those of this bird; for with them it can extend, contract, elevate, and depress the long velvet feathers which, commencing a little below the occiput, extend along the body like a mantle; and when this is elevated, the two feathers, horns, or tufts at the root of the beak are raised at the same time.” Genus DIPHYLLODES. Diphyllodes, Lesson, Ois. Parad. (1835) p. 16. Type D. speciosa. Il. Diphyllodes speciosa. ‘ ; ji : ; : : ; : : ; : Plate XII. 12. Diphyllodes speciosa, var. chrysoptera . ; : : ; ; : ; 5 : Plate XIII. 13. Diphyllodes respublica . : ; ; : ‘ 2 ‘ ; : : ; : Plate XIV. Genus XANTHOMELUS. Xanthomelus, Bonap. Ann. d. Se. Nat., Ser. iv. Zool. (1854) p. 122, dese. null. Characterized, Elhot, Ibis, 1872. Type X. aureus. 14. Xanthomelus aureus i : t : } : , i Pe : ; ; F Plate XV. Genus CICINNURUS. Cicinnurus, Vieill. Eney. Méthod. (1823) t. ui. p. 908. 15. Cicinnurus regius . ; ‘ ‘ : : : ‘ : ; : : : ; Plate XVI. Genus PARADIGALLA. Paradigalla, Less. Ois. de Paradis (1835), p. 242. Characterized Rev. Zool. (1840) p. 1. Type P. carunculata. 16. Paradigalla carunculata : : : ; : : : : ; . ; Plate XVII. INTRODUCTION. XX1 Genus SEMIOPTERA. Semioptera, G. R. Gray. Not characterized by this author. Type S. Wallacii. 17. Semoptera Wallacn . ; : : : 3 . : : : : Plate XVIII. Suspramity EPIMACHINZ. Genus EPIMACHUS. . Epimachus, Cuv. Rég. Anim. (1817) p. 407. Type E. speciosus. 18. Epimachus speciosus ' : : , E . : ' : : : ; j Plate XIX. 19. Epimachus Elliot : : : , : : : , ; é : 5 : Plate XX. Genus DREPANORNIS. Drepanorms, Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. Type D. Albertisi. 20. Drepanornis Albertisi . : ‘ : F : : , ; : ; : ; - Plate XXI. This species has also been described by Dr. A. B. Meyer mm the Tyjd. voor de Dierk. in Batavia, as Epimachus Witheluine; but Dr. Sclater’s name of D. Albertisi has priority, and the other must become a synonym. Genus SELEUCIDES. Seleucides, Jess. Ois. Parad. (1835) p. 36. Type 8S. alba. 21. Seleucides alba . , ; : ; : ; : : : ; i ; ; Plate XXII. Genus PTILORIS. Ptiloris, Swainson, Zool. Journ. (1825) p. 481. Type P. paradiseus. 22. Ptiloris magnificus : : : ; ; : ; : f : : : Plate XXIII. 23. Ptiloris Alberti. f : : ; : ‘ E : , ; ; ; Plate XXIV. 24. Phloris paradiseus : ; 3 : A : ‘ , : . ; : Plate XXV. 25. Ptiloris Victorie . : , F ‘ : , : , : : ; : Plate XXVI. Suspramity TECTONARCHIN A. Genus SERICULUS. Sericulus, Swainson, Zool. Journ. (1825) vol. i. p. 476. Type S. melinus. 26. Sericulus melinus : ; : ; ; : ‘ : : s A Plate XXVII. Genus PITILONORHYNCHUS. Ptilonorhynchus, Kuhl, Beit. Zool. (1820) p. 150. Type P. violaceus. 27. Ptilonorhynchus violaceus. : : ; ; : : : . : : Plate XXVIII. 28. Ptilonorhynchus Rawnsley: . ‘ : : : 5 ‘ : : p : Plate XXIX. Genus CHLAMYDODERA. Chlamydodera, Cab. Mus. Hein. (1850) vol. i. p. 212. Type C. nuchals. 29. Chlamydodera maculata ; ‘ : : : : ; id pee : Plate XXX. XXIl INTRODUCTION. Plate XXXI. Plate XXXII. Plate XXXITI. 30. Chlamydodera nuchals . 31. Chlamydodera cerviniventris 32. Chlamydodera xanthogastra Chlamydodera guttata, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p. 161. Not figured. This bird has been separated as distinct from the C. maculata by Mr. Gould. He only had a female upon which to found his opinion; and the characters he gives are as follows :—“ It differs in the guttations of the upper surface being of a larger size and much more distinct, in the abdomen being buff, and in the shafts of the primaries being of a richer yellow.” The specimen here described was obtained by Mr. Gregory m North- western Australia. Mr. Stuart, in his journey from Adelaide to the Victoria River, procured a head of a male Bower-bird, which he left at Mr. Gould’s house on his return: and this was decided to be the male of the C. guttata, although it shows no specific differences from the ordinary form. Mr. Gould’s figure of this male in his ‘Birds of Australia,’ vol. i. Supplement, with the exception of the head, is imaginary. I am unable to see any characters in the female sufficient to separate it from the well-known C. maculata, and, until we have more evidence that it is distinct than is at present obtainable, prefer to consider that there is only one species of Spotted Bower-bird. Genus ALURGDUS. Alluredus, Cab. & Hein. Mus. Hein. (1850) p. 213. Type &. crassirostris. 83. Aluredus crassirostris . : : f 5 5 : 3 , : : j Plate XXXIV. 34. Aluredus melanotis ; ; ; : : ; ; ; ; : : : Plate XXXV. Some specimens of this species are very much darker than the one figured in the plate, and possess a considerable amount of black on the plumage, particularly about the head and upper part of breast. This does not seem to be occasioned either by age or sex. 30. TBlunceuns buccoides . : ; ; 2 ‘ : } : : : : Plate XXXVI. Genus AMBLYORNIS. Amblyornis, Elliot, Ibis (1872), p. 118. Type A. inornata. Plate XX XVII. 36. Amblyornis imornata GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. The Paradiseidee are entirely confined in their geographical distribution to the Australian, or Western Palzeo- tropical region of the globe, the larger number of the species being natives of some of the islands forming the Asiatic archipelago. Their range, however, even among these, is apparently restricted; for of the five groups into which Mr. Wallace has divided the various islands, in only two of them, the Moluccan and Papuan, are any species of this family known to dwell. Of the Papuan group, in the Austro-Malayan division of the archipelago, the great island of New Guinea possesses the largest number of species; and doubtless among its unknown mountain-ranges and the dense forests that cover its entire surface, many new forms yet remain to reward the efforts of future explorers. Of the thirty-six species, or so-called species, included in this Monograph, composing the Paradiseidee, twenty- two are known to inhabit New Guinea; and of these, twelve are met with in no other part of the world. The other islands constituting the Papuan group, such as Aru, Waigiou, Mysol, Salwatty, &c., also contain species of this family; but none of them has any species peculiar to itself, although Mr. Wallace states that Paradisea sanguinea is confined to Waigiou. This, however, is an error, as the species was obtained by Mr. Bernstein in the islands of Ghemien and Batanta, this last lying near Salwatty, off the coast of New Guinea. At some INTRODUCTION. | an remote period these two divisions, Moluccan and Papuan, were doubtless united, and also the continent of Australia was joined to New Guinea; and in the vast extent of land thus formmg one mighty continent the Birds of Paradise found their home. That portion of it now known as the island of New Guinea, however, was probably most suited, in its formation, climate, and productions, to the sustenance and development of these birds ; for at the present day so many species still habit it that we must look upon that island as the district in which the family had its origin. That a great length of time has elapsed since this continent was divided and its northern portion broken up into large and small islands as we now see it, is very evident from the presence in some of these groups of various forms of animal life that are restricted to certain of the smaller islands, and which present characters not seen elsewhere. In the case of the Paradiseidee, for instance, there is the notable example of the Semioptera Weallacw, which is only found in Batchian and Gilolo of the Moluccan group, and nowhere else to my knowledge, thus showing that these two islands have been separated from New Guinea a sufficient length of time to produce a creature differing in its generic as well as_ its specific characters from any form of bird-life that existed when these islands were not isolated from their great neighbour. In the same way the non-presence, m the smaller islands, of certain species which are now living in New Guinea and were also existing, as we may fairly suppose, when all the groups were united, may be accounted for by the fact that, as most of the Paradiseidze are dwellers in mountain-ranges, some of very high altitudes, only those individuals of existing New-Guinea species which met with similar physical conditions of climate, food, and soil, in the islands to which they found themselves perhaps suddenly restricted, would be able to maintain life in an unchanged form—and that when- ever they became exposed to influences different from those to which they had always been accustomed, they either succumbed and disappeared altogether, or else became adapted to their new home by the gradual assumption of a different form more suitable to their changed mode of existence. It is only in this manner that we can account for the restricted habitats of some species of this family, and for the fact that others with no greater powers for passing over considerable distances are inhabitants of more than one island. The species of the family of the Birds of Paradise are restricted in their distribution, then, to New Guinea and to several of the islands in its immediate vicinity, with a few outlying branches upon the neighbouring continent of Australia. To commence with the district which we may call par ewcellence the home of the Birds of Paradise, we find the mountain-ranges of the interior of New Guinea are the sole habitat of the following species :—Paradisea Raggiana, Astrapia nigra, Parotia sexpenns, Lophorina atra, Paradigalla carunculata, Eipimachus speciosus, Epimachus Ellioti, -Drepanornis Alberti, Piiloris paradisea, Chlamydodera xanthogastra, and Amblyornis inornata, none of which have ever been met with at any point on the coast. Our knowledge of these species had always been confined to mutilated native skins until about a year ago, when M. von Rosenberg and, still later, M. d’Albertis procured the birds in the interior, some at an elevation of from 4000 to 5000 feet. Of the other species inhabiting the same island, Xanthomelus aureus and Manucodia atra have been procured on the coast near to Dorey, and Prtiloris magnificus at both Dorey and the environs of the Bay of Lobo. On the north-eastern coast Paradisea minor, Diphyllodes speciosa, Cicinnurus regius, Manucodia chalybea, and Ailureedus buccoides have been met with. Seleucides alba has been obtained at the head of the great Bay of Geelwink; and Mr. Allen, Mr. Wallace’s assistant, also procured the same species among the mountams behind Sorong, a place on the mainland, nearly opposite the island of Salwatty; and it is possible that this beautiful species may inhabit the whole extent of territory between these two pomts. The singular species known as Paradigalla carunculata has been obtained only by Lesson, when at New Guinea during the voyage of the ‘Bonite ;’ and its exact habitat is not as yet known. At Sorong, also on the north-west coast, the beautiful little Cicinnurus regius has been procured, together with the Diphyllodes speciosa, Manucodia Keraudreni, and Paradisea minor. The island of Salwatty, lying closest to New Guinea, possesses no species peculiar to itself, but contains only those that are met with on the mainland nearest to its position. They are Cicinnurus regius, Diphyllodes speciosa, Seleucides alba, Manucodia atra, Xanthomelus aureus, and Aluredus buccoides. The island of Mysol, lying to the south-west of Salwatty, has three species of this family, viz. Paradisea minor, Cicinnurus regius, and Diphyllodes speciosa, and is apparently the furthest pot westward that any of the Paradisese reach. Batanta, lymg close to and north of Salwatty, contains three species—the Paradisea sanguinea, Diphyllodes respublica, and Aluredus buccoides, all of which are also inhabitants of Waigiou—which is rather singular, as Batanta, in its geographical position, ies much nearer to Salwatty ; but the presence of these Birds of Paradise within its confines would seem XX1V INTRODUCTION. to indicate that it separated from Waigiou at a later period than it did from Salwatty, as it contains no species of Paradiseze met with in the last-named island. Waigiou also contains the New-Guinea species Manucoda atra. The large island’ of Gilolo, and its neighbour Batchian, contain but one species of this family, the Semioptera Wallacii; and this is the furthest north that any of the Paradiseae are found. The islands of Jobie, Biak, and Sook, lying at the mouth of the great Bay of Geelwink, contain the Paradisea minor, which is found upon them all, while upon the large island of Jobie, lying furthest in the bay and almost touching the eastern shore of New Guinea, two other species, the Cicinnurus regius and Diphyllodes speciosa, are also found. The specimens of Paradisea minor procured from Jobie are remarkable for their size and the brilliant colour of their flowing plumes; and some equal in extent P. apoda; but they cannot in any way be regarded as possessing specific characters to separate them from individuals of P. minor procured elsewhere. At Mount Arfak, near the Bay of Geelwink, M. d’Albertis procured the beautiful Paradisea raggiana and the extraordinary Drepanorns Albertisi. The Aru group of islands lying to the south of New Guinea contains five species of this family—the Paradisea apoda and Aluredus melanotis (the last of which is not met with elsewhere), Cicinnurus regius, Chalybea atra, and Manucodia Keraudren. The continent of Australia contains several species that I regard as belonging to the family of the Paradiseide ; and the first which I mention is the Péiloris Alberti, found in the north-eastern part, on the peninsula known as Cape York, that stretches upwards towards New Guinea, with which at one time it was doubtless con- nected. This species has been confounded with the Ptéloris magnificus by all authors; but it is very distinct at the present day, although it probably had the same origin as the New-Guinea form. Off the north-eastern coast, on the Barnard Islands, another species of Ptiloris is found—P. Victorie, which seems to be restricted to this group. It is very closely allied to the P. paradiseus of New Guinea, but has been generally recognized as distinct. Upon the northern coast, in the vicinity of Port Essington, the Chlamydodera nuchalis is met with ; but how far it proceeds into the interior is unknown. At Cape York is also found the Chlamydodera cerviniventris, which has its nearest ally in the C. wxanthogastra of the interior of New Guinea. On the eastern coast the Sericulus melinus is found as far south as Sydney, which seems to be its limit in that direction; while New South Wales appears to be the habitat of Ptilonorhynchus violaceus, Ailuredus crassirostris, and Chlamydodera maculata. By the foregoing review of the geographical distribution of the members of the Paradiseidee we see that some species are restricted, in certain cases, to one single group of islands—while others imhabit several situated widely apart, such as Diphyllodes speciosa and. Seleucides alba, which are found on both sides of New Guinea; and we can only account for this rather curious fact by the supposition that they also inhabit the maimland across its whole extent. Another singular fact is that the same species, such as Semioptera Wallacu, which ibhabits contiguous islands of the same group, begins to show in individuals from different localities, such as Giulolo and Batchian, an inclination to assume a distinct style of dress, which will probably in the course of time cause them to be ranked as distinct species; while other species, such as Diphyllodes speciosa, imbhabiting islands widely separated, presents in all the localities in which it is known to occur the same style of form and plumage. There is indeed, in the specimen called by Mr. Gould Diphyllodes chrysoptera, a tendency to assume a greater intensity of colour upon certain parts of its plumage; but as we do not know where the bird was procured, and as it can hardly be said at present to be more than a local style of D. speciosa (even if it be hereafter ascertained to be from another island than any in which the typical form occurs), it is not as yet sufficient to indicate why S. Wallac should undergo a certain change and D. speciosa not. Even the Paradisea mimor, the most widely distributed of all the Birds of Paradise, so far as our present know- ledge enables us to judge, does in certain islands, as has been already mentioned when speaking of Jobie, differ from what has always been considered the typical style, and in its greater size approaches so nearly to that of P. apoda that its specific name of minor seems inappropriate ; while the more lengthened plumes and deeper colour of these specimens cause them to be conspicuous even when lying by the side of others of the same species having different habitats. It would thus seem that (perhaps in the majority of mstances) when a species inhabits different islands separated more or less widely apart, and in each one presents a style peculiar to itself and differmg in certain points from what may be regarded as the typical form, it cannot by any means be deemed a fact that, merely because an animal does inhabit two or more islands, individuals from each must of necessity INTRODUCTION. : XXV be distinct from the type. The distribution of the genera of the Paradiseidee does not give any clue to explam the apparently arbitrary habitats of many of the species. The larger number of them are met with im New Guinea, some restricted to it, while others are represented in the neighbouring islands and continent of Australia. Besides New Guinea, only one island, or rather group, possesses a genus peculiar to itself—Gilolo and Batchian, where Semioptera is found; while Sericulus and Ptilonorhynchus are confined to Australia, the last bemg a form closely allied to Chlamydodera, which, however, has its representative in the interior of New Guinea, apparently a straggler, as our limited knowledge causes us to view it, because, with this single exception, all the species of this last-named genus are found in Australia, which would therefore appear to be the division of the earth mm which it was originally produced. The following review exhibits more minutely the geographical distribution of the species. PARADISEA. ~ Range of the Genus. Papuan Group of the Australian Region. Range of the Species. 1. Paradisea apoda. Aru Islands and perhaps parts of New Guinea. 2. Paradisea raggiana. Mountains around Arangesia Bay, New Guinea. 3. Paradisea minor. Wide distribution. Met with in New Guinea, Mysol, Salwatty, Waigiou, Jobie, Biak, and Sook. 4. Paradisea sanguinea. Restricted to the islands of Batanta, Ghemien, and Waigiou. MANUCODIA. Range of the Genus. Papuan Group and mainland of Australia. Range of the Species. 1. Manucodia chalybea. Island of New Guinea and Australian continent. 2. Manucodia atra. Islands of New Guinea and Waigiou. 3. Manucodia Keraudreni. New Guinea and peninsula of Cape York. ASTRAPIA. Range of the Genus. New Guinea. Range of the Species. Astrapia mgra. Only found in the island of New Guinea. PAROTIA. Range of the Genus. New Guinea. Range of the Species. Parotia sexpennis. New Guinea is the only known habitat of this species. XXV1 INTRODUCTION. LOPHORINA. Range of the Genus. New Guinea. Range of the Species. Lophorina atra. Only found in New Guinea. DIPHYLLODES. Range of the Genus. Papuan Group. Range of the Species. 1. Diphyllodes speciosa. Found in New Guinea, Salwatty, Waigiou, Mysol, and Jobie. 2. Diphyllodes speciosa, var. chrysoptera. The locality where this form is found is at present unknown. 3. Diphyllodes respublica. Met with in the islands of Batchian and Waigiou. XANTHOMELUS. Range of the Genus. New Guinea and Salwatty. Range of the Species. Xanthomelus aureus. Only seen in New Guinea and neighbouring island of Salwatty. CICINNURUS. Range of the Genus. Papuan Group. Range of the Species. Cicinnurus regius. Procured in New Guinea, Aru Islands, Mysol, Salwatty, and Jobie. PARADIGALLA. Range of the Genus. New Guinea. Range of the Species. Paradigalla carunculata. Only known to inhabit New Guinea. SEMIOPTERA. Range of the Genus. Molueccan Group. Range of. the Species. — Semioptera Wallacu. © Islands of Gilolo and Batchian of the Moluccan Group. 1. 2. oo tO = INTRODUCTION. EPIMACHUS. Range of the the Genus. New Guinea. Range of the Species. Epimachus speciosus. Only procured in New Guinea. Epimachus Ellioti. Supposed to mhabit New Guinea. DREPANORNIS. Range of the Genus. New Guinea. Range of the Species. Drepanornes Albertisi. Mount Arfak, New Guinea. SELEUCIDES. Range of the Genus. Papuan Group. Range of the Species. Seleucides alba. New Guinea, and the island of Salwatty. PTILORIS. Range of the Genus. New Guinea and Australia. Range of the Species. . Prloris magnificus. Island of New Guinea. . Ptiloris Alberti. Peninsula of Cape York. . Piiloris paradiseus. New Guinea. . Ptiloris Victorie. Barnard Islands, off the eastern coast of Australia. SERICULUS. Range of the Genus. Australia. Range of the Species. Sericulus melinus. Eastern part of Australia. | PTILONORHYNCHUS. Range of the Genus. Australia. Range of the Species. . Ptilonorhynchus violaceus. Eastern portion of the Australian continent. . Ptilonorhynchus Rawnsleyi. Hybrid. Obtained on the east coast of Australia. XXVil XXVill INTRODUCTION. CHLAMYDODERA. Range of the Genus. Australian continent and island of New Guinea. Range of the Species. 1. Chlamydodera maculata. Procured in New South Wales. 2. Chlamydodera nuchalis. Obtained in the north-western part of Australia. 3. Chlamydodera cerviniventris. Only found im the peninsula of Cape York. 4. Chlamydodera wanthogastra. New Guinea is the sole habitat of this species. ALURGDUS. Range of the Genus. Papuan Islands and Australian continent. Range of the Species. 1. Aluredus crassirostris. Met with only in New South Wales. 2. Aluredus melanotis. Aru Islands of the Papuan group. 3 Aluredus buccoides. Islands of New Guinea, Salwatty, Sorong, Batanta, and Waigiou. ; AMBLYORNIS. Range of the Genus. New Guinea. Range of the Species. Amblyorms inornata. New Guinea is the habitat of the only known species. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE GENERA OF THE PARADISEIDZ. AUSTRALIAN REGION. Avstro-Matayan Drvisron. AUSTRALIA. Moruccan i Parvan Grovp. Gnour g 5 % 4 p a2] = ia < a B . ra Sl B| 8 ; : go) aoe fa} 4 bt 9 5 : 4 BA eo p a S/ 2 2lei ei el] el ei] & ei s|e|e]eial & eileoelflelsta4aiei si si] 2] & gs] Ss] Soh ai @ i Bie zg a Et | 2 eg) 8] Bis 7 a | Sl 3 a a] oe eI 4 a 4 BEIT SI(Si/al SlalseilFlelslaelelalel|s2\|slele4le pT as LE er ae | eae Hate ( Paradisea............ * |e | & | x « | © | & | * | * | * | * Manucodia ......... *% % ANSTO, 220005000008 * TENOR sacoocbonqoones *% Lophorina ......... * PARADISEINA ...... Di I | | iphyllodes......... ey ol aerate | ee aeatllecarer | abe a teeYensy og A dee ce | Xanthomelus ...... *% ; : * | Cicimmunuseeeeeeree eV ites A] cae BIL eae lee el | eter oer fa Rec leaae Paradigalla ......... * | Semioptera ......... pate wet tae hehas a eee Snactitsoape (iene |lmocsalfipoaa com |icano i ceelee (Epimachus ......... * | Drepanomnis......... # EPIMACHINE ...... Pies at he | Seleucides ......... We Gliese loorfa tote (LPinillomaiss. ..oeso8e000000 PAO ade eee ll dob dP ebocit soe alkeeeg.leScactegad: hisne de coo.ttdoos|l coo lS ona"-|b-c06. hee @Sericulus ---.--...... Sask Gostll sco dk doo [toed | sop ono: {! cece. Ib-ode {eee |] aca] Ga0-4! eae |] a80.|| 205 “ooo || | Ptilonorhynchus ...|... } --- |... |---| s+. eee | eee cee [eee J ee | oe eae) eb |p oo |) 22 I G0 TrcronarcHina... 4 Chlamydodera...... Woes toes ede | ogee of bea (fides Il 600 “[e'c00 000.4] aco || cag | soo fe fAluredus ......... fo ee le kh fF Soo | co | 3° | doo. | 000 |] oc K coo |} 200 |} 200 |} 200 || 000 »( Amblyornis ......... # | | ———E | | — — aa ey eee 16 | B | 8 Gi] i | 2 } i B| 2) 3) ty dt ya oy i 3 1 | GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE SPECIES OF THE PARADISEID. AUSTRALIAN REGION. Avsrro-Matayan Drvision. AUSTRALIA. Papuan Grovp. vane a : e S| a e Be | 4 e| 8 2 | B | 2 B| 4 Bt Sas bg |i Seed Gb ele et a oi) 4i ail 2 S SI q a | & ; 5 g | || ta me | m| 4 Slalelaleiabeal ele eee] sy] eye lee ey a Blalelaléia/sle|/S/8lalalalele|s|alala 1. Paradisea apoda............... at | ox | 2. TRNGHRATTA, ooo coocnoe000 * Sky ——— {MINIs ooogno0d060d00000000 * * | * * | * | * | * | * 4, SOLON, ocooccceson0000 306, cao! ||-ccc! Mono e|eans |e cele ae th 5. Manucodia chalybea ......... 4% 6. EXniet mat nea ee naa eat # | 7. Keraudreni ............ Pr ileeeae Leeds lieods.|[nasen||abed clh.odea||maootl tees cool || sedoul oce \|stodall|fceo0" |!) Gob Apr te | 8. Astrapia nigra ...............] * 9. Parotia sexpennis ............ % | 10. Lophorina atra ............... ® | 11. Diphyllodes speciosa ......... eo lPreeocl| vetecc tf Se) OR so | @ | oe | es 12. chrysoptera?............ ; ee Moat q 1 TWOSOWIONEA, coooocssavoscee ; an Pa eel ee 14. Xanthomelus aureus ......... sepa Pere | easel | | | 15. Cicinnurus regius ............ oral) Er he coll ad Sonr dl stoa fearoilh so6 oi acs 16. Paradigalla carunculata...... * 17. Semioptera Wallacii ......... bad l2Goa leaden Seaalk Seon e-ooas|| ose aoee=dheade: | Roakleucselly coc || 142. FENG | 18. Epimachus speciosus ......... * | | | 19. Drepanornis Albertisi ...... * | 20. Seleucides alba ............... 3 lode, |l e008 |) 2 21. Ptiloris magnificus............ * 22 ANMESaR. csoscoonn Asal: dppb eae ain sd Det. med * 22% paradiseus ...... * | ; 4 24. Victorie ...... | sm 25. Sericulus melinus alien * 96. Ptilonorhynchus violaceus...| ... |... | --- | = || <2. | --» | 22. | | 222 J ces fee | cee | cee | vee fore cre | ee) ile Rawnsleyi? ............ Bgl ice ella eae nec odl | Pacomk tose moter reowte dase + aSnomy|t eon ep se * 28. Chlamydodera maculata...... I 560 {| gop I-os0 |} o00 |] G00 |) 000. |} 546 |} 065 |i 00a | coo |} 000 |] o00 jh .000, || ado! |} 000° ca0 000 |S 29. TMUCMENE) — soaeoeccoc00008 pe eet (Pee akan ee a iegaeiliee allocator lacen tle acme |natec iiotue kno aba. 30. Cerviniventris............ 260 || ca |) oxo || coo |} 200 || cae || o60 |-od0 || 000 |} 200 |} 300 || 800 |} 200, || 200 |} coo | 31 xanthogastra ............ * 32. Adlurcedus crassirostris ...... sco || o6a"||-o80 || 60 |! 060 |} cao |} o09 |} 600 |} 080 || coo |) ooo |} co0-|] e00 |} ono; || 002 |} 005 || 000 | 33. melanotis % 34, —— buccoides * eo ieee | a3 * 35. Amblyornis inornata ......... * Al ZglgAl slut sla ySL2i_slara;ayayr.y Ly syrye } EXPLANATION OF THE ABBREVIATIONS AND LIST OF AUTHORS AND WORKS REFERRED TO, Bechst. Kurze Ueber. bekannten Vogel &c. Bernst. Nederl. Tijds. Dierk. Tydschrift voor de Dierkunde. Blumenb. Abbild. natur. Gegen. Blunenbach, Abbildun- gen naturhistorischer Gegenstande. Bodd. Tab. Plan. Enlum. Boddaert, Tableau des Planches Enluminées de Buffon. Ann. Nat. Sciences Naturelles. Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. Avium. Bonap. Compt. Rend. Bonaparte in the Comptes Rendus. Briss. Hist. des Ois. Brisson, Histoire des Oiseauc. Buff. Plan. Enlum. Buffon, Planches Enluminées. Cab. Mus. Hein. Cabanis, Museum Heineanum. Cass. Journ. Acad. Nat. Scien. Cassin in the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Cuv. Regn. Anim. Cuvier, Regne Animal. Diggl. Austr. Orn. Diggles, Australian Ornithology. Edw. Birds. Edwards's Birds. Elliot, Ibis. Elkot in The Ibis. Elliot, Proce. Zool. Soe. Elliot in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society. Hyd. & Souley. Voy. de la Bonite. im the Voyage de la Bonite. Forst. Ind. Zool. Forster, Indische Zoologie. Gmel. Syst. Nat. Gmelin’s edition of Linneus’s Systema Nature. Goodwin, Proc. Zool. Soe. Goodwin in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society. Gould, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. Gould in the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Gould, Birds of Austr. Gould, The Birds of Australia. Gould, B. of Austr. Supp. Gould, in Supplement to Birds of Australia. Gould, Hand-book B. Austr. Birds of Australia. Bechstein, Kurze Uebersicht aller Bernstein, Nederlandsch Bon. Scien. Bonaparte im the Annales des Bonaparte, Conspectus Generum Hydoux and Souleyet Gould, Hand-book to the Gould, Proc. Zool. Soe. Zoological Society. Gould, Voy. Rattlesnake. Rattlesnake. Gray, Gen. Birds. G. R. Gray, Genera of Birds. Gray, Hand-l. Birds. G. R. Gray, Hand-list of Birds. Gray, G. R., List Gen. Birds. G. R. Gray, List of the Genera of Birds. Gray, Proce. Zool. Soe. G. R. Gray, in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society. Gray, J. E., Illus. Ind. Zool. Indian Zoology. Homb. et Jacq. Voy. au Pédle Sud. Jacquinot, Voyage au Péle Sud. Jard. & Selb. Ill. Orn. Jardine and Selby, Illustrations of Gould in the Proceedings of the Gould, in the Voyage of the J. E. Gray, Ilustrations of Hombron and Ormithology. Kuhl, Beytr. zur Zool. Kuhl, Beytrdge zur Zoologie. Lath. Gen. Hist. Birds. Latham, General History of Birds. Lath. Gen. Syn. Lath. Ind. Orn. Latham, Index Ornithologicus. Lerw. Birds N. Holl. Lerwin, Birds of New Holland. Less. Cent. Zool. Less. Man. Ornith. Lesson, Manuel @ Ornithologie. Less. Ois. Parad. Lesson, Oiseaux de Paradis. Less. Trait. Ornith. Less. Voy. Coquille. Lesson in the Voyage de la Coquille. Levaill. Hist. Nat. Ois. Parad. Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux de Paradis. Levaill. Hist. Nat. des Promerops. Latham, General Synopsis. Lesson, Centurie de Zoologie. Lesson, Traité d’ Ornithologie. Levaillant, Levaillant, Histoire Naturelle des Promerops. Linn. Syst. Nat. Linneus, Systema Nature. Newton, Ibis. Newton in the Ibis. Payk. N. Act. Upsal. Paykull, in Nova Acta Regie So- cietatis Scientiarum Upsalensis. Ramsay, Ibis. Ramsay in The Ibis. Reich. Hand. der spee. Orn. Reichenbach, Handbuch der speciellen Ornithologie. XXxi Schleg. Journ. fiir Ornith. Schlegel in the Journal fur Ornithologie. Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas. Schleg. Tijdsch. Dierk. voor de Dierkunde. Selat. Proc. Zool. Soe. Zoological Society. Schlegel, Museum des Pays-Bas. Schlegel, Nederlandsch Tuydschrift Sclater in the Proceedings of. the Scop. Flor. Faun. Insub. Scopoli, Delicie Faune et Flore Insubrice. Shaw, Gen. Zool. Shaw, Nat. Mise. Sonn. Voy. Nouv. Guin. Shaw, General Zoology. Shaw in Naturalists Miscellany. Sonnerat, Voyage dans la Nou- velle Guinée. Swain. Class. Birds. Swainson, Classification of Birds. Swain. Zool. Journ. Swainson, Zoological Journal. Temm. Plan. Col. Temminck, Planches Coloriées. Vieill. Analy. Vieillot, Analyse. EXPLANATION OF ABBREVIATIONS. Vieill. Eneyel. Méth. Vieillot im the Encyclopédie Me- thodique. Vieill. Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat. Viedlot im the Nouveau Dictionnaire d’Histoire Naturelle. Vieill. Ois. Dor. Vieillot in the Oiseaua Dores. Vig. & Horsf. Trans. Linn. Soc. Vigors and Horsfield in the Transactions of the Linnean Society. Von Rosenb. Jour. fiir Ornith. Yon Rosenberg m the Journal fiir Ornithologie. Wael. Syst. Av. Wagler, Systema Avium. Wall. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. Wallace m the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Wall. Ibis. Wallace in The Ibis. Wall. Malay Archip. Wallace, Malay Archipelago. Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. Wallace in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society. Wils. Illus. Zool. Wilson, Illustrations of Zoology. oon es oO PR WD WH ed Lo =) tes i Of Pb AA Es. . Generic Characters . Paradisea apoda . Paradisea Raggiana . Paradisea minor . Paradisea sanguinea . Manucodia chalybea . Manucodia atra . Manucodia Keraudren . Astrapia nigra . Parotia sexpennis . Lophorina atra . Diphyllodes speciosa . Diphyllodes chrysoptera . . Diphyllodes respublica . Xanthomelus aureus . Cicinnurus regius . Paradigalla carunculata . . Senioptera Wallacn . Epimachus speciosus . Epimachus Ellioti . Drepanornis Albertisi . Seleucides alba 23. . Ptiloris Alberti . Piloris paradiseus . . Ptiloris Victorie . Sericulus melinus Ptiloris magmificus . Ptilonorhynchus violaceus . Ptilonorhynchus Rawnsley . Chlamydodera maculata . Chlamydodera nuchalks . Chlamydodera cervimventris . Chlamydodera xanthogastra . Ailuredus crassirostris . Ailuredus melanotis . Ailuredus buccoides . Amblyorns imornata Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate Plate VIl. VIII. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII. XIX. XX. XXI. XXII. XXIII. XXIV. XXV. XXVI. XXVII. XXVIII. XXIX. XXX. XXXI. XXXII. XXXII. XXXIV. XXXY. XXXVI. XXXVI. J.Wolf. & J.S PARADIS MANUCOI mt.del et lith . EA APODA. DIA CHALYBI (#1) » ASTRAPIA NIGRA. LOPHORINA ATRA AIR OI SID XUHE NINES. DIPHYLLODI ES SPECIOSA. PARADIGALL SEMIOPTERA WAL ERIMACHUS- SPECI ‘XANTHOMELUS AUREUS CICINNURUS Ri EGIUS CARUNCULATA LAGE] OSU'S, REPANORNIS ALBERTISI. D SELEUGIDE S JUBA @ wu @ WU H LORIS MA ERICULUS MELINUS. TILONORHYNGHUS VI MéN Banhart imp HY] aay U 8 A AAMYDODERA NUCHALIS GNIFICUS DUS CRASSIROSTRIS AMBLYORNIS INORNATUS GENERIC CHARACTERS. Family PARADISEID. Subfamily 1. PARADISEINZ. Genus 1. PaRapisna. Feathers of the head short, thick, compressed tightly together. Bill rather long, stout; culmen curved to the tip, which is emarginate. Nostrils lateral, concealed by frontal feathers. Wings rounded, long; fourth to seventh primaries equal and longest. Tail broad, rounded. ‘arsi rather stout, covered by an entire scale. Toes long; outer more lengthened than the inner and united at the base to the middle toe. Hind toe long and stout. Claws long, strong, curved, acute. Genus 2. Manucop1a. Feathers of the head short, velvety. Bill stout, curved on the culmen; tip emarginate. Nostrils partially concealed by frontal feathers. Wings long, rounded; fourth to seventh primaries equal and longest. Tail long, rounded. Tarsi longer than middle toe. Toes moderate; inner one shortest and united at base to the middle one. Claws long, sharp, curved, acute. Genus 3. ASTRAPIA. Bill moderate, curving slightly to the tip, which is emarginate. Nostrils basal, sunk, partly hidden by frontal feathers. Wings moderate, pointed. Tail yery long, graduated, feathers broad and rounded. Tarsilong. Feet moderate; outer toe united to the middle one at base. ' Genus 4. PARotia. Bill short, curved; base hidden by frontal plumes that project over the maxilla for nearly half of its length. Wings much rounded; secondaries very long. ‘Tail broad, rounded. Tarsi moderate. Toes slender; outer and middle ones united at base. Genus 5. LopHoRINA. Bill slender, curved; tip emarginate; frontal feathers projecting forward, hiding the nostrils Wings and tail rounded ; secondaries long. Occipital crest greatly exaggerated. Tarsi slender. Toes slender; middle one united at the base to the outer. Genus 6. DIPHYLLODES. Bill shorter than the head, compressed, curving slightly on the culmen; tip not emarginate. Nostrils entirely hidden by frontal feathers. Wings moderate; third and fourth primaries equal and longest. ‘Tail short, square. Tarsi rather long, covered by an entire scale. ‘Toes slender, short; outer and middle ones united at base. Claws slender, curved, acute. Genus 7. XANTHOMELUS. Bill, culmen curving rapidly towards the tip; cutting-edges of mandible curving slightly downwards; tip of maxilla and mandible toothed. Nostrils open and exposed. Wings moderate. Tail rounded. Genus 8. CicINNURUS. Bill short, slightly compressed on the sides. Nostrils hidden by frontal plumes. Wings short; second and third primaries equal and longest; secondaries nearly equal in length to the primaries. Tail short, of twelve feathers, square. ‘Tarsi covered with a scale. Outer and middle toe united at base. Claws small, curved, acute. Genus 9. PARADIGALLA. Bill moderate, shorter than the head, slender; point emarginate; nostrils basal, covered by the feathers of the forehead; two fleshy wattles at the commissure of the bill. Wings rather long; third and fourth primaries longest. ‘Tail rather pointed, formed of twelve feathers. Genus 10. SEMIoPTERA. Bill long, compressed ; culmen much curved; tip emarginate ; nostrils basal, oval, hidden by frontal plumes that extend one third the length of the maxilla. Wings rounded, fourth and fifth primaries equal and longest. Tail moderate, slightly rounded. Tarsi long, rather slender, covered by a single scale. Toes slender, rather short ; outer and middle ones united at base. Claws long, much curved, acute. Subfamily 2. EPIMACHINA:. Genus J. Eprmacuus. Bill long, arched, slender, curved to the tip, which is slightly emarginate. Nostrils basal, placed in a membranous groove, partly hidden by frontal feathers. Wings moderate ; fourth to seventh primaries equal and longest. Tail lengthened. Tarsi long. Toes long, rather strong; outer and middle ones united at base. Genus 2. DREPANORNIS. Bill very long, slender, and much curved; the maxilla inside destitute of groove; mandible slightly grooved. Nostrils basal, oval, exposed. Wings moderate; fourth and fifth primaries equal and longest, third nearly equal to fifth. Tail moderately long, rounded, composed of twelve feathers. Tarsi short, covered by a single scale. Toes weak ; outer and middle ones united at base. Claws curved, acute. Genus 3. SELEUCIDES. Bill longer than the head, nearly straight, compressed; tip emarginate. Nostrils oblong, partly hidden by frontal feathers, and placed in a lateral groove. Wings moderate; third, fourth, and fifth primaries equal and longest. Tail short, composed of twelve nearly equal feathers. Tarsi moderate; scutellated. Outer and middle toes united at base. Claws curved, acute. Genus 4. Prioris. Bill longer than the head, slightly curved. Nostrils partly hidden by frontal feathers. Wings moderate, concave, rounded; secondaries and primaries nearly equal in length; the former square at tip. Tail slightly rounded, composed of twelve feathers. Tarsi moderate, covered by a single scale. Toes slender; middle and outer ones united at the base. Claws much curved, slender; acute. Subfamily 3. TECTONARCHIN A. Genus 1. SERICULUS. Bill rather slender, nearly as long as the head; culmen keeled at base, curving slightly towards the tip. Nostrils basal, lateral, exposed. Wings moderate; second, third, and fourth primaries equal and longest. ‘Tail rather long, even. ‘Tarsi longer than middle toe, scutellated. Toes long; outer and middle united at the base Genus 2. PriLoNORHYNCHUS. Bill rather stout; culmen curved to the tip, which is emarginate. Nostrils basal, lateral, nearly concealed by frontal feathers. Wings rather long, pointed; fourth and fifth primaries equal and longest. ‘Tail short, square. ‘Tarsi longer than middle toe, covered with numerous scales. Toes stout, long; outer and middle ones united at base. Claws curved and acute. Genus 3. CHLAMYDODERA. ; Bill stout ; culmen curving sharply to the tip, which is emarginate. Gonys advancing slightly upward. Nostrils basal, exposed; opening round, placed in a membrane. Wings long, pointed; third and fourth primaries equal and longest. Tail long, nearly square. Tarsi longer than middle toe, covered with broad scales. Toes long; inner and middle ones united at base. Claws curved and acute. Genus 4. AALUREDUS. iy Bill stout; culmen much curved to the tip, which is emarginate. Gonys inclining sharply upwards. Nostrils basal, partly covered by frontal feathers; opening round, placed ina membrane. Wings long and pointed; fourth and fifth primaries equal and longest. Tail long, slightly rounded. Tarsi much longer than middle toe, covered with broad scales. Toes long, stout; inner and middle united at base. Claws long, sharp, curved. Genus 5. AMBLYORNIS. Bill short, thick; culmen much curved. Gonys nearly straight. Nostrils partly hidden by frontal feathers, which are soft and flexible. A few short bristles project forward over the culmen and nostrils, the latter being round, open, and partly exposed. Wings moderate; fourth primary longest. Tail composed of ten feathers, very slightly rounded. Toes slender; middle one nearly as long as the tarsus; outer longer than the inner one. fs or . Byes oh eta oh ies aa Nias fala ah theca Dek, aan 4 ia fi ise, sa (he wu? . if Mb roncae uD cot ee aoa eis soa), ae i Aa a eet ow Gas Corre cp oa ce Pie = Rat phe aah ane Pi LOS AEs Bok pa URGIU aw eS One % : ¢ : = nite ' : : i as p ‘ a = : bln J a : ‘ . 7 roe . “ s > ‘ : po ‘ | ty a ; goad : i. 7 7 | ‘ : ; ; Supramity PARADISEIN&. oe Bill stout, rather straight. Males possessing greatly developed plumes upon various at e re portions of their bodies, forming conspicuous ornaments when elevated. ri = ‘ | | F ; . : / ti * : cr | i . _ ” ri 1 - : Lid - | : ig | | z ; a 7 ; : . ’ ‘ i | . ‘ a : f ; fi =o a ' 1 ‘ fs " ‘ \ 7 A * ; ' * 1 Lt i t A a ry cm % i ee ss Ss : ; Z Pir; i a . : ‘ + ae i ke i d ; . :m ; . 4 2 ’ - oJ 1 ae 1 ‘ . ‘ ‘. : i / - . : 7] ‘ rh ; i ae : F Sgt ID a ae rf ; Sala > ; x 2 ; a cs ih) ie! ae A : nace Sim | “= Sie pe r : = = ee ee M&N.Hamhart. mp. + lth. del.e J Wolf. dJ.Smit PAIR AD ISIE A AIP OD A. PARADISEA APODA. GREAT BIRD OF PARADISE THE GREATER BIRD OF PARADISE, Edw. Birds (1750), vol. iii. pl. 110.—Lath. Gen. Syn. (1782) p. 471, vol. ii Id. Gen, Hist. (1822) vol. ili. p. 182. : PARADISEA CASTANEA, Lath. Synops. sp. 1. LVOISEAU DE PARADIS, Briss. Ornith. 1760) vol. ii. p. 130, pl. xiii. L’OISEAU DE PARADIS DES MOLUQUES, Buff. Planch. Enlum. (1774) p. 190. t. 254.—Briss. Hist. des Ois. (1775) vol. iii. p. 151, t. 12. PARADISEA APODA, Linn. Syst. Nat. (1766) vol. i. p. 166.—Gmel. Syst. Nat. (1788) vol. i. pt. i. p. 399.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. (1790) vol. ii. p. 194.—Wagl. Syst. Av. (1827) sp. 1.—Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. (1850) p. 412. sp. 1.—G. R. Gray, List Gen. Birds (1855), p. 65.—Id. Hand-l. Birds (1870), pt. ii. p. 16. sp. 6247.—Id. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1861) p. 436.—Id. Gen. Birds (1845), vol. ii. p. 323. sp. 1.—Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p. 160.—Id. Ibis (1859), p. 111 (1861), p. 289.—Id. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (1857) vol. xx. p. 411.—Vieill. Ency. Méth. t. iii. p. 906.—Bechst. Kurze Uebersicht (1811), p. 130. sp. 1.—Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas (1867), p. 78.—Cuv. Régne Anim. (1829) vol. i. p. 426.—Wall. Malay Archip. vol. ii. p. 238 (1869).—Schleg. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1861) p. 384.—Von Rosenb. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1864) p. 42.—Id. Tidsch. Dierk. pt. xii. p. 342. - PARADISEA MAJOR, Shaw, Gen. Zool. (1809) vol. vii. pt. ii. p. 480, pl. 58, and (1826) vol. xiv. p. 76.—Less. Ois. Parad. (1835), Syn. p. 6 ; Hist. Nat. p. 155. pl. 6.—Id. Ornith. p. 336 (1831). LE GRAND OISEAU DE PARADIS EMERAUDE, Levaill. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Parad. vol. i. (1806) pls. 1, 2, 3. L’EMERAUDE, Vieill. Ois. Dor. t. i, vol. ii. (1802) p. 9. PARADISEA APODA. var. WALLACIANA, G. R. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1858) p. 181, sp. 73. Hab. New Guinea, Aru (WaLLAce). For many years the Birds of Paradise have been known to all persons whose avocations called them to the Moluccas ; and the earlier voyagers among those islands entertained strange views regarding these attractive creatures. Their beautiful plumage excited the admiration of the most mdifferent person; and the strange stories related of them aroused the fears of the more superstitious of even the reckless marmers. Wallace says that the Malay traders gave | them the name of “ Manuk dewata,” or “God’s birds;” and the Portuguese, finding them without feet or wings, and not being able to learn any thing authentic about them, called them ‘ Passaros do Sol,” or “birds of the sun;” while the learned Dutchmen who wrote in Latin, called them “ Avis paradiseus,” or “ Paradise-bird.” John Van Linschoten gives these names in 1598, and states that no one has seen these birds alive; for they live in the air, always turning towards the sun, and never alighting on the earth until they die; for he says that they have neither feet nor wings, as may be seen by the birds carried to India, and sometimes to Holland. ‘More than a hundred years later,” says Wallace, “Mr. William Funnel, who accompanied Dampier, and wrote an account of the voyage, saw specimens at Amboyna, and was told that they came to Banda to eat nutmegs, which imtoxicated them and made them fall down senseless, when they were killed by ants.” As no perfect specimen of this beautiful bird had been seen in Europe at the time of Linnecus, that naturalist gave the present species, one of the longest-known, the name of apoda or footless, although it really is possessed of those members very respectable in size. The Great Bird of Paradise, as its name imports, is the largest known species, and is an inhabitant of the Aru Islands. Mr. Wallace whose opportunities for observing it in its native wilds have been most favourable, gives the following account of it in his work on the Malay archipelago :—‘‘The Great Bird of Paradise is very active and vigorous, and seems to be in constant motion all day long. It is very abundant, small flocks of females and young males being constantly met with ; and though the full-plumaged birds are less plentiful, their loud cries, which are heard daily, show that they also are very numerous. Their note is ‘Wawk-wawk-wawk wok-wok-wok, and is so loud and shrill as to be heard ‘a great distance, and to form the most prominent and characteristic animal sound in the Aru Islands. The mode of nidification is unknown; but the natives told me that the nest was formed of leaves placed on an Ant’s nest, or on some projecting limb of a very lofty tree; and they believe that-it contains only one young bird. The egg is quite unknown; the natives declare that they have never seen it; and a very high reward offered for one by a Dutch official did not. meet with success. They moult about January or February; and in May, when they are in full plumage, the males assemble early in the mornmg to exhibit themselves in the singular manner already described on page 151. This habit enables the natives to obtam specimens with comparative ease. As soon as they find that the birds have fixed upon a tree on which to assemble, they build a little shelter of palm-leaves in a convenient place among the branches; and the hunter ensconces himself in it before daylight, PARADISEA APODA. , armed with his bow and a number of arrows terminating in a round knob. A boy waits at the foot of the tree; and when the birds come at sunrise, and a sufficient number have assembled and have begun to dance, the hunter shoots with his blunt arrow so strongly as to stun the bird, which drops down, and is secured and killed by the boy without its plumage being injured by a drop of blood. The rest take no notice, and fall one after another till some of them. take the alarm. The native mode of preserving them is to. cut off the wings and feet, and then skin the body up to the beak, taking out the skull. A stout stick is then run up through the specimen, coming out at the mouth. Round this some leaves are stuffed; and the whole is wrapped up in a palm spathe, and dried in the smoky hut. By this plan the head, which is really large, is shrunk up almost to nothing, the body is much reduced and shortened, and the greatest prominence is given to the flowing plumage. Some of these native skins are very clean, and often have wings and feet left on; others are dreadfully stained with smoke; and all give a most erroneous idea of the proportions of the living bird. The Paradisea apoda, as far as we have any certain knowledge, is confined to the mainland of the Aru Islands, never being found in the smaller islands which surround the central mass. It is certainly not found in any of the parts of New Guinea visited by the Malay and Bugis traders, nor in any of the other islands where Birds of Paradise are obtained. But this is by no means conclusive evidence; for it is only im certain localities that the natives prepare skins, and in other places the same birds may be abundant without ever becoming known. It is therefore quite possible that this species may inhabit the great southern mass of New Guinea, from which Aru has been separated; while its near ally, P. papuana, is confined to the north-western peninsula.” The habits referred to above by Mr. Wallace are thus described by him on page 151 of the same work: he was residing on the Aru Islands, where he had gone to procure these birds. “I had, however, some consolation in the birds my boys brought home daily, more especially in the Paradiseas, which they at length obtained in full plumage. It was quite a relief to. my mind to get these; for I could hardly have torn myself away from Aru had I not obtained specimens. But what I valued almost as much as the birds themselves was the knowledge of their habits, which I was daily obtaming, both from the accounts of my hunters and from the conversation of the natives. The birds had now commenced what the people here call ‘sacalehi,’ or dancing-parties, in certain trees in the forest, which are not fruit-trees, as I at first imagined, but which have an immense head of spreading branches and large but scattered leaves, giving a clear space for the birds to play and exhibit ther plumes. On one of these trees a dozen or twenty full-plumaged male birds assemble together, raise up their wings, stretch out their necks, and elevate their exquisite plumes, keeping them in a continual vibration. Between whiles they fly across from branch to branch im great excitement, so that the whole tree is filled with waving plumes in every variety of attitude and motion. The bird itself is nearly as large as a crow, and is of a rich coffee-brown colour. The head and neck is of a pure straw-yellow above, and rich metallic green beneath. The long plumy tufts of golden-orange feathers spring from the sides beneath each wing, and when the bird is im repose are partially concealed by them. At the time of its excitement, however, the wings are raised vertically over the back, the head is bent down and stretched out, and - the long plumes are raised up and expanded till they form magnificent golden fans, striped with deep red at the base, and fading off into the pale brown tint of the finely divided and softly waving points. The whole bird is then overshadowed by them, the crouching body, yellow head, and emerald-green throat forming but the foundation and the setting to the golden glory which waves above. When seen in this attitude, the Bird of Paradise really deserves its name, and must be ranked as one of the most beautiful and most wonderful of living things.” In the ‘Annals and Magazine of Natural History’ for 1857, the same author states, in a paper published on this species, that ‘on examining a freshly killed bird we see the great muscular strength of the legs and wings, and find the skin to be remarkably thick and tough, and the skull as well as the bones very hard and strong. The whole neck is lmed with a thick, muscular fat, exactly similar to that of the Cephalopterus ornatus, in the same position, and probably serving in both cases to nourish the highly developed plumage of the adjacent parts. This causes the throat externally to appear very wide, and as if swollen, which displays to great advantage the dense, scaly, metallic plumage. ‘The flesh, as might be expected, is dry, tasteless, and very tough—to be eaten’ only in necessity. By far the greater number of the birds I have opened have had their stomachs full of fruit ; and this seems to be their usual and favourite food. At times, however, they seek after insects, principally Orthoptera ; and I have found one of the largest of the Phasmidee almost entire in the stomach of a full-plumaged bird. It is only for two or three months of the year, during the height of the east monsoon, that the natives obtain them; and this circumstance has no doubt led to the statement that they are migratory in Aru, arriving from New Guinea at the end of the west, and returning there again at the end of the east monsoon—which is quite incorrect, as they are permanent residents in Aru, and the natives know nothing about their being found in New Guinea. About April, when the change from the west to the east monsoon occurs, the Paradiseas begin PARADISEA APODA. to show the ornamental side-feathers; and in May and June they have mostly arrived at their full perfection. This is probably the season of pairmg. They are in a state of excitement and incessant activity ; and the males assemble together to exercise, and to dress and display their magnificent plumage.” <‘‘ The long side plumes,” our author states, ‘all sprmg from an oval fold of the skin, about an inch in length, situated just below the elbow or first jomt of the wing. On this point they tum as on a hinge, and admit only of being laid down closed beneath the wing, or erected and expanded—which position they take of their own accord, if the bird is held up by the legs, with the head inclining a little downwards, and the whole gently shaken. In this manner by slightly altering the position of the body, all the forms which the plumage assumes during life can be correctly and beautifully imitated. The curious habit of the males assembling to play and exercise their limbs and feathers, occurs in some other birds, as the Turkeys and Argus Pheasants, and particularly in the Rupicola cayana, which, though a true arboreal bird, has its ball-room on _ the ground, generally on a flat rock, on which a space a few feet im diameter is worn clean and smooth by the feet of the dancers. On these spots the natives set snares and catch these beautiful birds alive. Of the geographical distribution of the Bird of Paradise many erroneous statements have been published. Its supposed migrations have by some been extended to Banda, by others to Ceram and all the eastern islands of the Molucca group. ‘These statements, however, are totally without foun- dation, the species being strictly confined to New Guinea and the Aru Islands, and even to a limited portion of each of those countries. Aru consists of a very large central island, and some hundreds of smaller ones scattered around it at various distances, many being of large size and covered. with dense and lofty forests ; yet on not one of these is the Paradisea ever found (although many of them are much nearer New Guinea), being limited to the large island, and even to the central portions of that island, never appearing on the sea-coast, nor in the swampy forests, which im many cases reach some miles inland. With regard to its distribution in New Guinea, the Macassar traders assured me it was not found there at all; for although they obtain quantities of ‘Burong mati’ from most of the places they visit on the west coast of New Guinea, they are all of another kind, bemg the Paradisea papwana, a smaller and more delicate but less brilliantly coloured species. On inquiry I found they did not trade to the eastward of Cape Buro (135° H.). Lesson, I believe, found the larger species i the southern peninsula of New Guinea; and an intelligent Ceramese trader I met at Aru assured me that i places he had visited more eastward than the range of the Macassar traders, the same kind was found as at Aru. It is therefore clear that the Paradisea apoda is confined to the southern peninsula of New Guinea and the Aru Islands, while the Paradisea papuana inhabits only the northern peninsula, with one or two of the islands (most probably) near its northern extremity. It is interesting to observe that though the Ké Islands and Goram approach nearer to New Guinea than Aru, no species of the Paradise-birds are found upon them—pretty © clearly showing that these birds have not migrated to the islands beyond New Guinea, in which they are now fonud. In examiming my series of specimens I find four such well-marked states of the male bird as to lead me to suppose that three moults are required before it arrives at perfection. In the first condition it is of a nearly uniform coffee-brown colour, darker on the head and paler on the belly, but entirely without markings or variety of colour. The two middle tail-feathers are exactly equal in length to the others, from which they only differ in having a narrower web. In the next series of specimens the head has acquired the pale yellow colour, and the throat and forehead the rich metallic green of the old birds; the two middle tail-feathers, however, are still webbed, but are now two or three mches longer than the rest. In the next state these two feathers have been replaced by the immensely long bare rachides, quite equal to the greatest size they attain; but there is as yet no sign of the fine side-plumes which mark the fourth and perfect state of the species. I am inclined to believe, therefore, that this extraordinary mass of plumes is only obtained by the Paradisea in its fourth year, and after three complete — changes of its feathers. This will account for the very large number of immature birds everywhere seen, while the full-plumaged males are comparatively scarce. It is singular that I have not been able to obtain a single adult female, my only specimen of that sex being, I think, also a young bird. It is exactly similar to the youngest males, of a coffee-brown all over; but in Bonaparte’s ‘Conspectus’ it is stated that the female is dusky yellow and brown, with the underparts entirely white. This, I cannot help thinking, must be a mistake, or altogether another bird ; for neither myself nor my hunters have ever seen one at all resembling it, out of many hundreds in various stages of plumage. The natives who shoot the birds are also quite unaquainted with it, and always declared that the birds of a uniform brown colour were the females. It is also worthy of note that the long enri of the tail in the full-plumaged males vary very much in length; and the shortest is often the most worn, showing that it has reached its full development for the year. A specimen occurs occasionally with immense cirri; one of mine has these feathers 34 inches long, while the general length seems to be from 24 to 28 inches. I think it probable, therefore, that these cirri increase in length each year, and that the very long ones 3 PARADISEA APODA. mark very old birds. The other dimensions of the bird and the length of the ornamental plumes are in all eases almost exactly equal.” Bonaparte was undoubtedly mistaken in his description of the female of this species, and probably had a female of P. minor before him, which possesses such a plumage as he describes; for the female of P. apoda is brown all over, but smaller than the adult and young males. In the splendid work upon the voyage of the ‘Coquille, Lesson gives the following account of the Great Bird of Paradise :—“< From the first day of our arrival in New Guinea, that ‘promised land’ of naturalists, we saw the Emerald Birds of Paradise flymg about in these old forests, daughters of ages, whose sombre depths perhaps afford the most striking and imposing spectacle which can be presented to the gaze of a European. The feathers of the bird’s flanks formed a graceful and airy mass of plumes, which, without exaggeration, did not bear a poor resemblance to a brilliant meteor shooting through the air like a star. One could hardly have a correct idea of Birds of Paradise from the skins that the Papous sell to the Malays, and which are brought to us in Europe. These natives hunt them, in order to decorate, the turbans of their rajahs with their feathers. They eall them Mambéfore in their language, and kill them during the night-time, climbmg the trees where they sleep, and shooting them with arrows made expressly very short, and which they manufactute from the stems of the leaves of the palm tree. The Camponys or villages of Mappia and Emberbaktne are celebrated for the quantity of birds which are prepared there; and all the skill of the inhabitants is limited to tearing away their feet, skinning them, thrusting a small stick through the body, and drying them in the smoke. Some, more skilful, patronized by the Chinese merchants, dry them with the feet. The price of a Bird of Paradise among the Papous on the coast is at least a dollar; and these people prefer silver to any other object, even to wrought iron. During our sojourn in New Guinea they killed twenty of these birds. The Emerald, in life, is of the form of the French Jay. Its beak and feet are bluish. The iris is a brilliant yellow. Its movements are quick and nimble; it is only accustomed to alight on the top of the tallest trees. When it descends it is either to eat certain small fruits, or when the sun is so powerful as to force it to seek the shade. It is fond of various vegetables, and makes the neighbourhood resound with its loud voice. Its cry is fatal to it, because it serves to make known its hiding- place. It was by perseverance in watching that we succeeded in killing it; for when a male Bird of Paradise is on its perch, and hears a rustling in the forest, it becomes silent and motionless. “Its ery is voike, voike, voike, voike, strongly uttered. The female has the same cry, but she utters it m a very feeble manner. Destitute of the brilliant plumage of her mate, she has only sombre attire. We found theni in companies of twenty on a tree, whilst the males, always solitary, appeared only accidentally. The young bear the closest resemblance to the females. It is only at the second moult that the plumes appear, and the green throat betrays the true sex. The Bird of Paradise seeks its food only at sunrise and sunset. In the middle of the day it conceals itself under the spreading foliage of the teak tree, and does not leave it. It appears to dread the effect of the burning rays of the sun, and not to be willing to expose itself to thew influence. In order to shoot the Birds of Paradise, travellers to New Guinea should remember that it is necessary to leave the boat before morning, and to reach about four o’clock the foot of the teak or fig-tree which it is known these birds frequent on account of the fruit (our stay’ in this place was from 26th July to 9th August), and to remain motionless until the males, pressed by hunger, come to the branches that are thought to be at a proper distance. It is indispensable to have a gun of very long range, and loaded with heavy shot; for it is very difficult to lill an Emerald Bird of Paradise at once, and if itis only wounded, it is very likely to be lost in the dense thickets, where one cannot even find the way without a guide.” Male.—Fore part of head, throat, and sides of neck brilliant grass-green, the chin so dark a green as to appear black. Occiput and back of neck deep yellow. Back, wings, and tail chocolate-brown; primaries same colour. Upper part of breast very dark purple-brown; rest of underparts chocolate-brown ‘like the back. From beneath the wings on each side spring a mass of lengthened plumes extending beyond the tail; and the bird is able to erect these and display them over the back. For two thirds thei length they are very rich golden-yellow, graduating into purple. The webs of the termimal third part of the feathers are split and widely separated. The webs graduate towards the tips, and terminate in long points: in some instances the shafts extend for a consider- able way beyond the webs. Near the commencement of these side-plumes a few rigid feathers terminate in deep red, forming a line of that colour, very conspicuous upon the golden-yellow. From the base of the tail spring two webless shafts, which fall over the side-plumes, and attain lengths varying from eighteen to thirty-four inches. The bill is lead-colour at base, greenish-white at tip. Feet and tarsi flesh-colour. Female.—Rich coffee-brown colour over the entire body, being lightest upon the underparts, and darkest on the top of head and throat,, Wings and tail the same as the body, but some shades lighter in colour. 4 pict E REDE M&NdHanhart. imp. JWolf & J.Smit.del.et lith. PARADISEA. RAGGIANA. PARADISEA RAGGIANA. MARQUIS DE RAGGIS BIRD OF PARADISE PARADISEA RAGGIANA, Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1873) p. 559. Has. Arangesia Bay, New Guinea (D’ALBzrrts). By the efforts of enterprising explorers the varied fauna of the great island of New Guinea is becoming by little and little better known to us, and the wonderful species composing its avi-kingdom are gradually bemg brought to the notice of naturalists. In no one particular family does it appear more conspicuously rich than in that contaming the Birds of Paradise, which doubtless had its origm in the high mountain-ranges and deep secluded valleys of the interior, into the great majority of which no European has yet been able to penetrate. By what strange and beautiful forms of the animal world these virgin retreats may be inhabited we can do no more than conjecture; for our knowledge is as yet of the slightest, and drawn only from such gleanings as have been made from the outer boundaries—these materials, however, having been obtained only after much perseverance, privation, and danger on the part of those who have attempted to unveil the secrets of this unknown land, and bring forth its treasures for the benefit of science. Among the latest novelties with which we have been made acquainted, are the two extraordinary Birds of Paradise the Drepanornis Albertisi and the present species, obtained by Signor d’Albertis during his recent journey in New Guinea; and these show us how imexhaustive is creative power in producing forms so varied and diversified from any others known. ‘The Bird of Paradise whose portrait is presented m the accompanying Plate, has its nearest affinity in the Paradisea apoda, possessmg similar colours in the feathers of its body (though differently arranged) and with a like structure of its side-plumes. These last, however, instead of being yellow, terminating with a purple gloss like those of the well-known Great Bird of Paradise, are deep red, calling to mind the plumes of P. sanguinea, to which, however, they otherwise in no way assimilate. Only two imperfect skins of this beautiful species were procured, both of males; but they were sufficient to afford a very correct idea of the appear- ance of the bird in life. Signor d’Albertis does not say if he killed the specimens himself; I should judge not, but rather that they were obtaied from the natives, as all the skins prepared by him are in very good condition. The only remarks he makes regarding this species are embodied in the following sentences:—‘‘The mutilated skins of this bird resemble the Red Paradise-bird, but differ in some particulars. I procured them at Orangeisa Bay, where P. papuana and P. apoda are unknown to the natives, judging by thew surprise when I exhibited some skins of those species.” It is not stated whether the species is rare; it is probable that it is not, but goes in flocks, and resembles in its habits the P. apoda of the Aru Islands. Dr. Sclater, to whom this beautiful species was sent, has, at the request of Signor d’Albertis, named it after the Marquis de Raggi, of Italy. I am indebted to my friend Dr. Sclater for the opportunity of transcribmg the remarks on these Birds of Paradise which were forwarded by their discoverer with the specimens. This species may be described as follows :— Head and throat deep green, a spot on the chin at the base of mandible almost black in certain lights. Upper part of breast very dark chestnut, forming a conspicuous band; rest of underparts light chestnut-brown. Back of head and neck, with a narrow line passing round the throat, dividing the green from the dark chestnut of the breast, light yellow. Back dark brown; tail rufous brown. A mass of long plumes, with their webs loose and separated, spring from the side near the shoulder of the wing, beautiful red, growmg lighter towards their tips. Near the base of the central tail-feathers start two webless shafts, which in the specimen described had attamed a length of about two feet, falling over the tail-feathers and curving outwards. Bill yellowish at the tip, inclined to a lead-colour near the base. J.Smit lth. PAIR IDI S IE Pee PARADISEA MINOR. LESSER BIRD OF PARADISE. LESSER BIRD OF PARADISE, Lath. Gen. Syn. (1782) p. 474, vol. iiiId. Gen. Hist. Birds (1822), vol. iii. p. 184. LE PETIT EMERAUDE, Vieill. Ois. Dor. (1802) vol. ii. p. 12, pl. 2. PARADISEA MINOR PAPUANA, var. 8., Lath. Ind. Ornith. (1790) vol. ii. p. 194.—Less. Traité d’Ornith. CY p. 336. PARADISEA MINOR PAPUANA, Forst. Zool. Ind. vol. i. (1781) p. 34. PARADISEA MINOR, Shaw, Gen. Zool. (1809) vol. vii. p. 486, (1826) vol. xiv. p. 76.—Wagl. Syst. Av. (1827) sp. 2.—J. E. Gray, Illust. Ind. Zool. (1832) vol. i. pl—Less. Ois. Parad. (1835) Syn. p. 3. sp. 1.—Hist. Nat. p. 132, pls. 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5.—Id. Man. d’Ornith. t. i. p. 392.—G. R. Gray, Hand-list of Birds (1870), pt. ii. p. 16. no. 6248. LE PETIT OISEAU DE PARADIS EMERAUDE, Levaill. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Parad. (1806) vol. i. pls. 4 & 5. L’OISEAU DE PARADIS PETIT-EMERAUDE, Less. Voy. Coquille, (text) vol. i. (1826) p. 654.—Vieill. Ois. Dor. t. ii. pl. 11. PARADISEA PAPUANA, Bechst. Kurze Uebersicht (1811), p. 131. sp. 2.—G. R. Gray, Gen. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 323. sp. 2—Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. (1850) -p. 413. sp. 2.—Sclat. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p. 123.—G. R. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1859) p. 157. sp. 48.—Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p. 160.—Id. This, (1859) p. 111, (1861) p. 287.—Schleg. Mus. Pays Bas, (1867) p. 82.—Wall. Malay Archip. vol. ii. p. 240.— Schleg. Journ. fiir Orn. (1861) p. 385.—Von Rosenb. Journ. fiir Orn. (1864) p. 129.—Schleg. Tijdsch. Dierk. parts 4 & 5, pp. 17 & 49. PARADISEA BARTLETTII, Goodwin, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1860) p. 243. Has. New Guinea, Waigiou, Mysol, Salwatty, Jobie, Mysory, Biak, Sook (WaLuace ; BERNSTEIN). Tue Lesser Bird of Paradise is, as its name implies, smaller than the P. apoda, to which, however, it bears some resemblance; and by those who are not familiar with the two species, the present one is not unfrequently confounded with its larger relative. But, besides having a much larger extent of yellow upon the back, the plumes of the two birds are very different both im structure and colour. The P. mimor has been known for a long time to naturalists, having been mentioned by Latham, in his ‘General Synopsis of Birds,’ as far back as the year 1782. Among ornithologists it has generally been known as Paradisea’ papuana; but this name will have to give place to that of P. minor, conferred upon it by Shaw in 1809. In the ‘Zoology of the Voyage of the Coquille,’ Lesson, who procured specimens of this bird while the ship was visiting the Moluccas, gives an account of it, a translation of which I here insert :— “The small Emerald Bird of Paradise feeds, without doubt, upon various things in its state ol freedom. We can affirm that it lives on the seeds of the teak and on a fruit named amihou, of a pinkish white colour, delicate flavour, and glutinous, of the size of the small European fig, and which grows on a tree of the genus Ficus. Many birds are very fond of these fruits; for they are also sought for by the Calaos, the Manucodes, and the Phonygames, Calybe and Keraudren. We have seen two Birds of Paradise kept by the Chinese at Amboina: they were always in motion; they were fed with boiled mice, but liked above every thing the moths or kakerlacs. A trader asked five hundred franes a-piece for them. We regretted that we were not able to take them to France, where doubtless they would have lived; for their habits beimg analogous to our Magpie promised us many chances of success. This beautiful bird lives in bands in the vast forests of the Papuan archipelago, situated south of the Equator, and which is composed of the islands of Arou and Waigiou and of the large one called New Guinea. They are birds of passage, changing their abode accordmg to the monsoon. The females assemble in large troops on’ the summits of the largest trees in the forest, erying altogether to call the males, who appear in small numbers amongst them and seem to form a harem after the manner of the Gallinaceous birds.” . The same author, in his work on the Birds of Paradise, writes as follows concerning this species :—‘‘ The small Emerald Bird of Paradise has the quick and agile movements and the manners of the Coraces. In the forests that it inhabits it seeks the summits of the tallest trees; and when it descends to the lower branches, it is to search for food, or to protect itself from the rays of the sun when that orb is at its meridian. It if PARADISEA MINOR. flies thus from the influence of heat, and likes the shade of the thick and bushy foliage of the teak trees. It rarely leaves these trees in the middle of the day; and it is only in the morning and evening that it is seen seeking its food. Ordinarily, when it believes itself to be alone, it utters a piercing cry, rendering with exactitude the syllables vorke, voike, voike, strongly articulated. These cries, at the time of our sojourn in New Guinea in July, appeared to us to be a call; for the females, grouped in small numbers on the surrounding trees, then obeyed the voice of love. Never among these troops did we see more than one male strutting proudly in the midst of these plainly apparelled individuals, whilst he, plumed dandy, resembled a cock who shouts victory after having beaten a rival and gained the sovreignty of a poultry-yard. Is the little Emerald Bird of Paradise, then, a polygamist? or is this disproportionate number of females owing to the continual chase after the males, which causes this scarcity, whilst the females are neglected and allowed to live in peace without fear of man, having only to protect themselves from their natural enemies the beasts of the woods? Attracted by this voike, voike, we found it easy in our hunts to follow the Birds of Paradise, and to kill a pretty large number. The first one we saw astonished us so much that the gun remained quiet in our hand, so profound was our wonderment. We walked with care in the tracks made by the wild boars, in the deep shades of the bushes surrounding the harbour of Dorey, when a little Emerald Paradise Bird, flyimg above our heads with graceful and easy flight, seemed to us like a meteor, of which the tail of fire left behind a mass which filled the air with a long tram of light. When an unaccustomed sound strikes the ear of the little Emerald Bird of Paradise, it becomes perfectly quiet; it remains hidden in the deep foliage that conceals it from the view of the hunter; but if the sound continues, it soon flies away. It perches upon the highest branches of the loftiest trees of New Guinea; and it is very difficult to shoot without using long-range guns; for it does not fall unless shot dead, and the distance from which it is necessary to shoot is not less than one hundred and fifty paces. It is unnecessary to say heavy shot are required. When it is only wounded, it expires in the thickets; however, we happened one day to find, dying upon the banks of a pond in the bed of a half-dried torrent, one of these birds which had been wounded the day before. It is, then, in the evening or, better, the morning that the hunter must be on the watch, after having carefully reconnoitred the trees filled with fruit, to which the Paradise-birds resort. There, perfectly still, he awaits patiently the advent of the Emeralds, soon foretold by their harsh and strong cry. At the time of our stay in the land of promise for naturalists (from the 26th of July to the 9th of August), these fairy creatures searched for the fleshy buds of the teak trees, but above all for the pimky white, very mucilaginous fruits of the fig-tree. We always found insects in their crops; and during our sojourn at Amboina two Emerald Birds of Paradise, which we saw alive at the house of a rich Chinese merchant, were fed with large moths and boiled rice.” Mr. Wallace procured many specimens of this beautiful bird during his travels among the islands of the Indian archipelago ; for, unlike its larger relative, the present species inhabits several different islands, as well as being a native also of the mainland of New Guinea. I may remark here that Mr. Wallace was the first to send many of the different species of the Birds of Paradise in a perfect state to Europe; for, previously to his visit, nothing but the mutilated skins prepared by the natives had been received by collectors, givimg a very imperfect idea of the surpassing beauty of the birds. “The Paradisea papuana,” says this gentleman, “has a comparatively wide range, being the common species on the mainland of New Guinea, as well as on the islands of Mysol, Salwatty, Jobie, Biak and Sook. On the south coast of New Guinea, the Dutch naturalist Muller found it at the Oetanata river, in longitude 136° E. I obtained it myself at Dorey; and the captain of the Dutch steamer Hina informed me that he had seen the feathers among the natives of Humboldt Bay, 141° E. longitude. It is very probable, therefore, that it ranges over the whole of the mainland of New Guinea. The true Paradise-birds are omnivorous, feeding on fruits and insects,—of the former preferrmg small’ figs; of the latter, grasshoppers, locusts and phasmas, as well as cockroaches and caterpillars. When I returned home in 1862, I was so fortunate as to find two adult males of this species in Smgapore; .and as they seemed healthy, and fed voraciously on rice, bananas, and cockroaches, I determined on giving the very high price asked for them (£100), and to bring them to England by the overland route under my own care. On my way home I stayed a week at Bombay to break the journey, and to lay in a fresh stock of bananas for my birds. I had great difficulty, however, in supplying them with insect food; for in 2 ‘ PARADISEA MINOR. the Penisular and Oriental steamers cockroaches were scarce, and it was only by setting traps in the store-rooms and by hunting an hour every night in the forecastle, that I could secure a few dozen of these creatures, scarcely enough for a single meal. At Malta, where I stayed a fortnight, I got plenty of cockroaches from a bakehouse, and, when I left, took with me several biscuit-tins full as provision for the voyage home. We came through the Mediterranean in March, with a very cold wind; and the only place on board the mail-steamer where their large cage could be accommodated was exposed to a strong current of air down a hatchway, which stood open day and night ; yet the birds never seemed to feel the cold. During the night journey from Marseilles to Paris it was a sharp frost ; yet they arrived in London in perfect health, and lived in the Zoological Gardens for one and two years, often displaying their beautiful plumes to the admiration of the spectators. It is evident, therefore, that the Paradise-birds are very hardy, and require air and exercise rather than heat; and I feel sure that if a good-sized conservatory could be devoted to them, or if they could be turned loose in the tropical department of-the Crystal Palace, or the Great Palm-house at Kew, they would live in this country for many years.” ‘The following short note by Mr. Sclater was published in the Proceedings of the Society on the arrival of the birds brought by Mr. Wallace :— “The two Paradise-birds had been lodged in the upper part of the Zoological Society’s old Museum, a room having been fitted up for their reception, with a large cage of galvanized wire, 20 feet long by 11 in width. As they were both males, it had been found necessary to keep them apart, the sight of one another, or even of a Paradise-bird’s plume waved near them in the air, producing in them great excitement. The cage had been, therefore, divided by a screen which excluded the light, and the two birds placed in the separate compartments. The remarkable side plumes which ornament the males of the true Paradisee when in full dress were as yet but partially developed m these specimens, but in a few weeks, if the birds continue to thrive, would probably attain their full dimensions.” Mr. A. D. Bartlett, the Supermtendent of the Zoological Gardens in Regent’s Park, has kindly furnished me with the following account regarding the two individuals of this species which lived for some time in the Society’s aviary. “When the two Birds of Paradise first arrived at the Gardens in April 1862, their plumes were quite short, only about five inches long. The birds had moulted, and the new feathers were growing in a thick bunch on each side below their wings. They appeared in good health and were active and lively. I soon ascertained how fond they were of meal-worms and other insects; and they fed freely upon fruit, boiled rice, &c.; a little cooked flesh was also acceptable to them. Their mode of hoppmg about from perch to perch and clinging to the bars or wires of the cage reminded one of a Jay or Jackdaw. They were fond of a bath, and were very careful in dressing and drymg their fine plumes: these were about two months in growing to full perfection; and it was a charming sight to see them when in full plumage. When uttering their loud call, the body was bent forwards, the wings spread open and raised up, frequently over their heads, meeting the plumes, which were spread in the most graceful manner, every feather vibratng m a way that almost dazzled the sight. During this display the bird would become greatly excited, and sometimes turn almost under the perch or branch, the head and neck being bent so low down. At this period we found they would not agree, but attacked each other; and we were therefore obliged to keep them separated by a wire division. They hopped about like Jays or Jackdaws, never ran like Starlings or Magpies, and when on the ground raised the points of the plumes so that they should not touch the earth. They soon became very tame and would take food from the hand; and the sight of a meal- worm would bring them down from the perch immediately. The moult was extremely rapid, the fine plumes being thrown off in a few days; and these appeared to grow all at the same time in a bunch. It is therefore certain that these birds, after they attam the adult plumage, lose it only gums the annual moult, like the Peacock and many other richly ornamented birds.” . Male.—Feathers of the head and throat short, upright, velvety in texture. Head, back of neck, and upper part of back rich yellow; rest of upper parts, wings, and tail rich reddish brown. Front, chin, throat, extending in a curved line on the side of the neck to behind the eye, deep metallic green, becoming so dark upon the chin as to appear black. The greater wing-coverts are edged with a line of bright yellow. Entire underparts rich rufous brown. From each side of the body, beneath the wings, springs a mass of lengthened plumes, usually lying along the body and drooping at the ends. These can he elevated over the back at the will of the bird, . , : PARADISEA MINOR. and, then cover it with a golden cloud of quiverimg feathers. The under ones, which are the shortest, are a rich golden yellow, divided from the upper ones by a line of feathers that are deep chestnut near their tips. The upper and longest feathers, having both webs split and tufted near the edges, are white with a purplish gloss. The webs contract near the end. of the feathers, which terminate in lengthened pomts. From the centre of the tail spring two webless chestnut-coloured shafts, that separate to either side, and attam a length of from eighteen to twenty inches. Bill lead-colour. Feet and tarsi black, claws horn-colour. A young male differs from the adult just described in being devoid of the beautiful side-plumes, and in having only the upper part of the breast deep chestnut, the rest of the underparts being white. Under tail- coverts reddish brown. Another, still more immature, has the entire underparts pure white, with no trace of chestnut; and the long central shafts are webbed for half their length with the same reddish brown as the back, and have a small spatule at the tip of the same colour, one of these extending: about four inches beyond the tail, the other twice that distance. A male still younger than the preceding has the entire head and throat a very dark glossy chestnut like the female, without any green feathers visible, the upper part of the back olive-brown, underparts pure white, and is without any lengthened shaft springmg from the tail. Female-——Head and throat rich dark brown, darkest on the front and chin. Hinder part of neck yellowish bronze, which colour also extends on to the mantle, becoming darker as it reaches the back. Wings, tail, and ‘the rest of the upper parts reddish brown. Entire underparts white, reddish upon the flanks. Upper mandible yellowish horn-colour; under mandible lead-colour, yellow at tip. Feet and tarsi dark reddish brown. J.Wolf & J. Smit del eb hth . MeN Harhart mp. . | PARADISEA SANGUINEA. PARADISEA SANGUINEA. RED BIRD OF PARADISE RED BIRD OF PARADISE, Lath. Gen. Hist. of Birds (1822), vol. iii. p. 186. sp. 4. PARADISEA SANGUINEA, Shaw, Gen. Zool. (1809) vol. vii. pt. i. p. 487, pl. 59, (1826) vol. xiv. p. 76.—Gray, Hand-l. Birds (1870), pt. ii. p. 16. sp. 6249. ; PARADISEA RUBRA, Vieill. Gal. Ois. (1825) vol. i. p. 152, pl. 99.—Less. Trait. Ornith. (1831) p. 336, pl. 3.—Id. Voy. Coquil. (1826) pl. 27, text. p. 660.—Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas (1867), p. 84.—Cuv. Régn. Anim. (1829) vol. i. p. 427.—Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. i. pl. 79.—Wagl. Syst. Av. (1827) sp. 3—Schleg. Dier. fig. p.-171.—Bon. Consp. Gen. (1850) p. 413. sp. 3.—Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1861) p. 436.— Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p. 160.—Id. Ibis, (1859) p. 111, (1861) p. 287.—Bechst. Kurze Ueber. (1811) p. 131. sp. 3.—Wall. Malay Archip. vol. ii. pp. 214, 221, 243.—Schleg. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1861) p. 385.—Von. Rosenb. Journ. fur Ornith. (1864) p. 129 — Schleg. Tijdsch. Dierk. pt. ii. p. 249.—Less. Ois. Parad. (1835) Syn. p. 8. sp. 3; Hist. Nat. p. 160, pls. 7 & 8. L’OISEAU DE PARADIS ROUGE, Levaill. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Parad. (1806) vol. i. pl. 6. LE PARADIS ROUGE, Vieill. Ois. dor. (1802) vol. ii. p. 14, pl. 3. Has. Waigiou (Wattacer), islands of Ghemien and Batanta (BERNSTEIN). Turs beautiful bird, remarkable for the rich red plumes that spring from its sides and afford so conspicuous a decoration, is found upon the island of Waigiou and the neighbourmg ones of Ghemien and Batanta. The list of synonyms given above will serve to show that for a long time it has been known to, and quoted : by, many authors; yet we were practically ignorant of its nature and mode of life until Mr. Wallace visited one of the islands where it has its home, and published his account of it in the work to which I have so often had occasion to allude. I will let Mr. Wallace tell his story in his own words regarding the capture of this beautiful species. ‘‘When I first arrived I was surprised at being told that there were no Paradise-birds at Muka, although there were plenty at Bessir, a place where the natives caught them and prepared the skins. I assured the people I had heard the ery of these birds close to the village; but they would not believe that I could know their cry. However, the very first time I went into the forest I not only heard but saw them, and was convinced there were plenty about; but they were very shy, and it was some time before we got any. My hunter first shot a female; and I one day got very close to a fine male. He was, as I expected, the rare red species, Paradisea rubra, which alone inhabits this island, and is found nowhere else. He was quite low down, running along a bough searching for insects, almost like a Woodpecker; and the long black riband-hke filaments in his tail hung down in the most graceful double curve imaginable. I covered him with my gun, and was going to use the barrel, which had a very small charge of powder and No. 8 shot, so as not to injure his plumage; but the gun missed fire, and he was off m an instant among the thickest jungle. Another day we saw no less than eight fine males at different times, and fired four times at them ; but though other birds at the same distance almost always dropped, these all got away, and I began to think we were never to get this magnificent species. At length the fruit ripened on the fig-tree close to my house, and many birds came to feed on it; and one morning, as I was taking my coffee, a male Paradise-bird was seen to settle on its top. I seized my gun, ran under the tree, and, gazing up, could see it flying across from branch to branch seizing a fruit here, and another there ; and then, before I could ‘get a sufficient aim to shoot at such a height (for it was one of the loftiest trees of the tropics), it — was away into the forest. They now visited the tree every morning; but they stayed so short a time, their motions were so rapid, and it was so difficult to see them, owing to the lower trees which impeded the view, that it was only after several days’ watching, and one or two misses, that I brought down my bird—a male in the most magnificent plumage. * * * * I had only shot two Paradiseas on my tree when they ceased visiting it, either owing to the fruit becoming scarce, or that they were wise enough to know there was danger. We continued to hear and see them in the forest, but after a month: had not succeeded in shooting any more; and as my chief object in visitmg Waigiou was to get these birds, I determined to go to Bessir, where there are a number of 1 PARADISEA SANGUINEA. Papuans who catch and preserve them. I hired a small outrigger boat for this journey, and left one of my men to guard my house and goods. « * «* x* My first business was to send for the men who were accustomed to catch the Birds of Paradise. . Several came; and I showed them my hatchets, beads, knives, and handkerchiefs, and explained to them as well as I could by signs the price I would give for fresh-killed specimens. It is the universal custom to pay for every thing in advance; but only one man ventured to take goods to the value of two birds. The rest were suspicious, and wanted to see the result of the first bargain with the strange white man, the only one who had ever come to their island. After three days my man brought me the first bird—a very fine specimen, and alive, but tied up in a smal] bag, and consequently its tail- and wing-feathers very much crushed and injured. I tried to explain to him, and to others that came with him, that I wanted them as perfect as possible, and that they should either lull them or keep them on a perch with a string to their leg. As they were now apparently satisfied that all was fair, and that I had no ulterior designs upon them, six others took away goods, some for one bird, some for more, and one for as many as six. They said they had to go a long way for them, and that they would come back as soon as they caught any. At intervals of a few days or a week some of them would return, bringing me one or more birds; but though they did not bring any more in bags, there was not much improvement in their condition. As they caught them a long way off in the forest, they would scarcely ever come with one, but would tie it by the legs to a stick, and put it in their house till they caught another. The poor creature would make violent efforts to escape, would get among the ashes, or hang suspended by the leg till the limb was swollen or half-putrefied, and sometimes die of starvation and worry. One had its beautiful head all defiled by pitch from a dammar torch; another had been so long dead that its stomach was turning green. Luckily, however, the skin and plumage of these birds is so firm and strong that they bear washing and cleaning better than almost any other sort; and I was generally able to clean them so well that they did not perceptibly differ from those I had shot myself. Some few were brought me the same day they were caught, and I had an opportunity of examining them in all their beauty and vivacity. As soon as I found they were generally brought alive, I set one of my men to make a large bamboo cage, with troughs for food and water, hoping to be able to keep some of them. I got the natives to bring me branches of a fruit they were very fond of; and I was pleased to find they ate it greedily, and would also take any number of live grasshoppers I gave them, stripping off the legs and wings, and then swallowing them. They drank plenty of water, and were in constant motion, jumping about the cage from perch to perch, clinging to the top and sides, and rarely resting a moment the first day till nightfall. The second day they were always less active, although they would eat as freely as before; and on the morning of the third day they were almost always found dead at the bottom of the cage, without any apparent cause. Some of them ate boiled rice, as well as fruits and insects; but, after trymg many in succession, not one out of ten lived more than three days. The second or third day they would be dull, and im several cases they were seized with convulsions and fell off the perch, dying a few hours afterwards. I tried immature as well as full-plumaged birds, but with no better success, and -at length gave it up as a hopeless task, and confined my attention to preserving specimens in as good a condition as possible. “The Red Birds of Paradise are not shot with blunt arrows, as in the Aru Islands and some parts of New Guinea, but are snared in a very ingenious manner. A large climbing Arum bears a red reticulated fruit, of which the birds are very fond. ‘The hunters fasten this fruit on a stout forked stick, and provide themselves with a fine but strong cord. They then seek out some tree in the forest on which these birds are accustomed to perch, and, climbing up it, fasten the stick to a branch and arrange the cord in a noose so ingeniously that when the bird comes to eat the fruit its legs are caught; and by pulling the end of the cord, which hangs down to the ground, it comes free from the branch and brings down the bird. Sometimes, when food is abundant elsewhere, the hunter sits from morning till night under his tree, with the cord in his hand, and eyen for two or three whole days in succession, without even getting a bite; while, on the other hand, if very lucky, he may get two or three birds in a day. There are only eight. or ten men in Bessir who practise this art, which is unknown anywhere else in the island. I determined, therefore, to stay as long as_ possible, as my only chance of getting a good series of specimens; and although I was nearly starved, every thing eatable by civilized man being scarce or altogether absent, | finally succeeded. « «x »% x Towards the end of September it became absolutely necessary for me to return, in order to make our homeward voyage before the end of the 2 ; PARADISEA SANGUINEA. east monsoon. Most of the men who had taken payment from me had brought the birds they had agreed for. One poor fellow had been so unfortunate as not to get one, and he very honestly brought back the axe he had received in advance; another, who had agreed for six, brought ‘me the fifth two days before I was to start, and went off immediately to the forest again to get the other. He did not return, however ; and we loaded our boat, and were just on the point of starting when he came running down after us, holding up a bird, which he handed to me saying, with great satisfaction, ‘Now I owe you nothing.’ These were remarkable and quite unexpected instances of honesty among savages, where it would have been very easy to them to have been dishonest, without fear of detection or punishment. « « x The Red Bird of Paradise offers a remarkable case of restricted range, bemg entirely confined to the small island of Waigiou, off the north-west extremity of New Guinea, where it replaces the allied species found in the other islands.” Male.—¥ore part of head, chin, cheeks, and throat rich metallic grass-green, appearing black upon the chin. Over each eye the feathers are raised, forming two short tufts. Back of head orange-yellow. All the feathers of the head are short, velvety, and closely pressed together, and project over the bill, above and below, hiding the nostrils. Upper part of back, scapulars, shoulders, upper part of breast, and rump orange-yellow. Wings, tail, back, and entire underparts dark chestnut-brown, darkest on the breast, where it is almost a blackish brown. From each side beneath the wings spring a mass of deep-red plumes, which glisten like glass, as is seen in the upper part of the plumage of C. regius, becoming white towards the ends, on both webs and shaft, the former widely separated and hair-hke. From the lower part of the back fall two very long webless shafts, black and twisted, which descend on either side of the tail in graceful double curves, and, like the side plumes, constitute very conspicuous appendages. The bill is lead-colour at the base, light horn-colour for the remaining portion. Feet and tarsi black. Male in the second moult: similar to the adult just described; but the upper part of the back is much darker, ochreous brown, and the rump is chestnut-brown like the wings, instead of yellow. The side plumes are wanting, not having yet appeared, although the feathers are somewhat elongated beneath the wings. The long wiry shafts have towards their ends narrow rufous brown webs, which disappear in the adult dress. Female.—¥ore part of head, chin, cheeks, and throat very dark chestnut-brown. Back of head, and upper part of breast, yellow. Upper part of back or mantle dark ochre-yellow. Entire rest of plumage, including wings and tail, dark brownish chestnut. Bull horn-colour, lead-colour at base. Feet and tarsi black. 3 ', Ne Py ; + J Wolf & J. Santé del. &lith. MANUCODLA. CHALY SEUSS MANUCODIA CHALYBEA. GREEN MANUCODE MANUCODIA CHALYBEA, Bodd. Tabl. Plan. Enl. d’Hist. Nat. de Daubent. (1783). PARADISEA VIRIDIS, Gmel. Syst. Nat. (1788) vol. i. pt. i. p. 402. sp. 8.—Cuy. Régn. Anim. (1829) vol. 1. p. 354. LE CHALYBE, Buff. Plan. Enlum. vol. ii. pl. 634. CHALYBA VIRIDIS, Schleg. Tijdsch. Dierk. pt. v. p. 49.—Id. Mus. mci (1867), p. 122. PHONYGAMA CHALYBAUS, Less. Trait. Ornith. (1831) p. 344. sp. 1. LE CHALIBE, Levaill. Ois. de Parad. (1806) p. 64, pl. 23.—Vieill. Ois. dor. (1802) vol. ii. p. 24, pl. 10. PHONYGAMA VIRIDIS, Bon. Consp. Gen. Ay. p. 368 (1850).—Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. ii. p. 303. sp. 1.—Rosenb. Journ. fur Orn. (1864) p. 122 MANUCODIA VIRIDIS, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1861) p. 436.—Id. Hand-l. Birds, pt. ii. (1870) p. 17. sp. 6257. CRACTICUS CHALYBEUS, Vieill. Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat. 1816) vol. v, p. 355. PARADISEA CHALYBEA, Lath. Ind. Ornith. (1790) vol. i. p. 197. sp. 10.—Shaw, Gen. Zool. (1809) vol. vil. p. 504, pl. 71. BLUE-GREEN PARADISE-BIRD, Lath. Gen. Syn. vol. ii. (1782) p. 482. sp. 7. Has. New Guinea. Regions near the coast and mountain-ranges of the interior (RosENBER®). Turs species has long been known to ornithologists; but until very lately it was always im a more or less mutilated form, the specimens received at rare intervals having been rudely prepared by the natives, and wanting either legs or wings, not unfrequently both. Latterly, however, by means of the expeditions sent to explore the unknown land of New Guinea by the Dutch and other Governments, as well as through the perseverance of private individuals, perfect examples of this singular form of Paradise-bird have been received, and we are thus enabled to ascertain its affinity to the members of this family. Its large and stout bill exhibits its relationship to the Corvidee, to which family the Paradisee are allied; but like these last it has the two outer toes of each foot connected closely together, so that they cannot be spread when the bird is age: differing in this respect from the feet of the majority of the members of the feathered tribes. No account whatever of the habits and economy of this species has ever been recorded, those who — have procured it in its native forests having apparently paid but little or no attention to these important poimts; and thus our knowledge of the bird is confined to that which may be gathered from the examination of the prepared skin. The Green Manucode resembles in some respects its relative the M. atra, but may be distinguished in nearly all stages of plumage by the frizzled state of the feathers upon the head and neck; im some specimens, indeed, these peculiarly formed feathers encroach upon the upper part of the back and breast; and they frequently possess variegated colours of different metallic hues. Feathers of the head short, closely pressed together, elongated over the eyes into diminutive tufts, black, with the tips a bright metallic blue; throat, neck, and upper part of breast light green, the feathers on the breast appearing as though the tips were frizzled. Back and wings bright metallic purplish blue, very glossy upon the secondaries; primaries rich brown; underparts similar to the back, but the blue not so rich. Tail purplish blue like the wings. Bull black; feet black. The Plate represents the species of the natural size. J Smit del et hith, = MANUCODIA AT MANUCODIA ATRA. BLACK MANUCODE. PHONYGAMA ATRA, Less. Voy. Coq., texte (1826), vol. i. p. 638.—Id. Trait. Ornith. (1831) p. 344. sp. 2, juv.—Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. ii. (1845) p. 303. sp. 3. MANUCODIA ATRA, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1859) p. 158. sp. 49, (1861) p. 436.—Id. Hand-]. Birds, pt. ii, (1870) p. 17. sp. 6260. CHALYBEA ATRA, Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas (1867), p. 121. Has. New Guinea (Less., Watt.); Arou, Salwatti, Waigiou, Ghemien (BERNSTEIN). Lesson, who first described this species as distinct from the Manucodia chalybea on specimens procured by himself from New Guinea, in the work published on the voyage of the Coquille, remarks as follows :— “Among the numerous Birds of Paradise that the imbhabitants of New Guinea brought every day on board were found the Calybés, deprived of their legs and feet, and a stick thrust through the body, as is done with the true Birds of Paradise. Also we procured several times in our hunts a bird which only differed from that of which we speak by its darker plumage and by the proportions of the body, bill, wings, and tail. We regard it as a distinct species from the Calybé of authors; for all those that we saw were adults, and in perfect plumage, and were not at all to be confounded with the ordinary Calybé either before or after moulting. “This Calybé lives alone in the forests of New Guinea. We met with it several times perched amid the great trees whose fruits ne seeks; in its habits it appears closely to resemble the Crow. The Papuans give it the name of mausinéme.’ Head covered with short upright feathers, closely pressed together, ah the eHroae and neck a beautiful light green. Back and wings cold metallic green, with a slight purplish tinge on the secondaries. Primaries dark brown. Underparts light green similar to the back. ‘Tail black, with a purple tinge, strongest in the centres of: the webs, between the shaft and the edge. Bill and feet black. The figures in the Plate are life-size. git) ) “Rane eae ~ 5 ey AS “ei ti fe) inte + Me i i nite ‘€ pe mts u oe apie MANUCODIA SERAUDRENI | MXN Hanhari my MANUCODIA KERAUDRENLI KERAUDREN’S MANUCODE PHONYGAMA KERAUDRENI, Less. Man. d’Orn. (1828) tom. i. p. 141.—Id. Voy. Coquille (1826), texte, vol. i. p- 636.—Gray, Gen. of Birds (1845), vol. ii. p. 303. sp. 2.—Less. Traité d’Ornith. (1831) p. 344. sp. 3.—Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. (1850) p. 368.—Rosenb. Journ. fur Ornith. (1864) p. 123. BARITA KERAUDRENI, Less. Voy. Coquille, Atlas, t. 13. MANUCODIA KERAUDRENI, Gray, Hand-l. Birds, part ii. (1870) p. 17. sp. 6258.—Id. Proc. Zool. Soc. Cissy) p. 158. sp. 50, (1861) p. 436.—Gould, B. Austr., Suppl. pl. CHALYBEUS CORNUTUS, Cuv. Régn. Anim. (1829) vol. i. p. 354.—Gould, Voy: Rattlesnake, vol. ii. p. 357. CHALYBEUS KERAUDRENI, Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas (1867), p. 120. PHONYGAMA LESSONIA, Swains. Class. Birds, vol. ii. p. 264. ; MANUCODIA GOULDI, G. R. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1859) p. 158, note.—Gould, Hand-b. Birds Austr. vol. i. p. 236. Gray, Hand-]. Birds, part. ii. (1870) p. 17. sp. 6259. Has. New Guinea, Australia. Tuis singular bird was first described by Lesson, who procured it in New Guinea during the voyage of the ‘Coquille ;’ and {it was figured and described im the splendid work published on the return of that expedition. It is remarkable, among other characters, for the plumes which spring in tufts from each side of the head, forming a kind of double demi-crest. But the most extraordinary part of the bird’s organization is the trachea, or wind- pipe, which is seventeen inches and a half in length, and formed of a hundred to a hundred and twenty cartilaginous rings. ‘On leaving the lungs it is directed first to the sternum, upon the outer edge of which it is bent to descend outwardly, and back upon the abdomen above the muscles which constitute this part, and under the teguments which invest the ski. There the tracheal artery turns, ascends for about an inch, immediately returns, forming a little handle; :and the tube, embracing the preceding part, redescends and forms in winding again an entire circle, which thus unites itself to the external edge of the first circle, formmg upon the soft parts of the abdomen a thick platform, composed of three back-turns of the trachea and reunited by the membranous parts. The air-tube continues to ascend upon the sternum, the length of the neck uniting as usual to the branches of the os hyoides at the root of the tongue. The conformation of this organ, of which we are unacquainted with any analogue among birds, if we except something similar in the Swan and Hocco, permits the Phonygame to modulate its. notes, as may be done with the French horn ; ; also this bird is gifted with a song essentially musical. The notes that the P. keraudreni raises in the depths of the forests of New Guinea prevent it from bemg confounded with any other species of bird. They are clear, distinct, and sonorous, and pass successively through nearly all the notes of the gamut; our sailors called it the Whistling bird. But, suspicious and rare, we were only able to procure two individuals of this bird, in the great trees which border the harbour of Dorey, where we were anchored. The Papous of Dorey called it mousinéme, and those of Rony issape.” The Australian form of this species was separated by Mr. G. R. Gray, and the name of JM. gouldi given to it, on account of a slight difference m the hue of the plumage—the New-Guinea bird having more of a purple reflection, while the Australian is inclined to a greenish hue. I do not believe that there is more than one species; and I think that when we become better acquainted both with the species and the countries it inhabits, we shall find the two styles ranging imto one another. As the M. keraudreni is a species of considerable rarity, nothing is known of its economy and _ habits. General colour green, with purple reflections. Feathers of the head short and compressed as in the members of the genus Paradisea. On either side of the occiput spring two slender tufts of lengthened feathers, of the same colour as the head. Feathers of the neck and throat greatly lengthened, of a lanceolate form, descending over the upper part of the back and breast. Wings rich purple, primaries purplish brown. Tail blue, with a beautiful purple gloss. Feet and bill black. Leen nee Bi rer ict hae oF ; POEL = TR Nay Sele MeN Hanhart,umo. &J Smit del etlith. Wolf J AA ASTRAPIA NIG ASTRAPIA NIGRA. INCOMPARABLE BIRD OF PARADISE. GORGET BIRD OF PARADISE, Lath. Gen. Syn. (1782) p. 478, pl. xx.—Id. Gen. Hist. vol. iii. (1822) p. 196. sp. 14. PARADISEA NIGRA, Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol. i. pt. i. (1788) p. 401. sp. 5.—Bechst. Kurz. Uebers. (1811) p. 132. sp. 7. PARADISEA GULARIS, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. (1790) p. 196, sp. 5.—Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. vii. pt. ii. (1809) p. 501, pls. 69 & 70. LA PIE DE PARADIS OU L’INCOMPARABLE, Levaill. Hist. Nat. Ois. Parad. vol. i. (1806) pls. 20, 21, & 22. LE HAUSSE-COL DORE, Vieill. Ois. Dor. vol. ii. (1802) p. 22, pls. 8 & 9. EPIMACHUS NIGER, Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas, (1867) p. 94. L’OISEAU DE PARADIS A GORGE D’OR, Sonnimi, edit. Buff. t. ix. p. 23. ASTRAPIA GULARIS, Vieill. Gal. des Ois. tom. i. p. 109, pl. 107 (1825).—Less. Trait. Ornith. (1831) p. 338.—Schleg. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1861) p. 386.—Von Rosenb. Journ. fir Ornith. (1864) p. 131.—Less. Ois. Parad. (1835), Syn. p. 18. sp. 8—Id. Hist. Nat. p. 106, pls. 21, 22, & 23. ASTRAPIA NIGRA, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. (1850) p. 414.—Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. ii. p. 326. sp. 1.—Id. List Gen. Birds (1855), p. 65.—Id. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1861) p. 436.—Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) pp. 154, 155, 159, & 160.—Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. xiv. (1826) sp. 75.— Wall. Malay Archip. vol. 11. p. 257. Has. New Guinea (Interior), Island of Jobie? (ScHLEGEL). I wave had occasion frequently, when writing of the birds comprised in this Monograph, to call attention to the extraordinary and unusual display of most beautiful plumage presented for our admiration by many of the members of the Paradiseidee. But in the present imstance words, equally with all attempts at pictorial representation, fail to express the gorgeous appearance of the wonderful creature whose portrait, so far as art can accomplish, is here given. It would seem as if Nature herself had striven to surpass her previous creations in the production of this magnificent bird, and to the liberal gifts of tufts, and crest, and lengthened tail had added that of the most brilliant colourmg—so bright and fiery in certain parts as almost to cause the artist to despair of representing it by the ordinary means.. In fact, we may well feel assured that nothing in the power of man can give an adequate idea of the splendid appearance of an adult male of this species when at liberty in his woods; his dress of metallic colours flashes back, as he moves amid the forest, mm equally brilliant scintillations, the fiery rays of a tropical sun. ‘The interior of New Guinea, among whose unknown mountain- ranges so many of this family have their homes, is also the native region of the Astrapia nigra; and from this terra incogmta a few mutilated skins have at various times been brought to Europe. Until very lately, no white man had been able to penetrate imto the interior of New Guinea, researches having been confined to the coasts, all igress having been opposed by the savage tribes who imhabit the land, either from their fear of some unknown evil fallmg upon themselves or from jealousy that a rival tribe might reap some supposed advantage from the strange white man’s presence among them. Another reason to explain the great difficulty of travelling in New Guinea is the fact that disputes between the tribes of the coast and those of the interior are constantly arismg; and those which to-day might be at peace with each other, and willing to allow a traveller to pass their respective boundaries, might be to-morrow im deadly strife (so slight are the circumstances that imaugurate savage warfare, and so rapidly does it attam its deadliest phase), and therefore render it impossible for any one to pass from one nation to another. Only one Huropean has ever succeeded in penetrating to the mountains of New Guinea—M. von Rosenburg, who, after several years of vain effort, only lately succeeded in finding a vulnerable spot, and was enabled to reach the mountains and ascend to the height of from 4000 to 5000 feet. This traveller was sent out by the Government of the Netherlands in the service of science to procure materials to enrich their already unrivalled museum in Leyden; and the success of their efforts (for M. von Rosenburg and his co-labourers have made many discoveries in natural science in their journeyings in the Eastern archipelago) only shows how much a well-directed effort can accomplish towards ASTRAPIA NIGRA. the increase of our knowledge of the world’s contents, and also to the advancement of science; for although among the smallest of European governments, yet Holland has always been foremost im well-directed expeditions that should bring to light the products of distant portions of the globe. Although M. von Rosenburg reached the mountains, and advanced a considerable distance up their rugged sides, yet, from the great amount of rain and other difficulties which beset his path, he did not accomplish as much as he had hoped or expected. Still he procured several species new to science, and, above all, shot and sent to Leyden perfect specimens of many of the Birds of Paradise residing in _ that inhospitable region, which we had only known previously by the mutilated skins of native preparation. Among these Paradiseidee was the present species; but, whether on account of its bemg very rare in the full dress, or that it was not the proper season of the year for them to appear in nuptial plumage, M. von Rosenburg did not succeed in procuring the male in the gorgeous livery here represented in the principal figure, but only apparently young birds in the more sombre colours of the second figure in the Plate. I am not aware that any knowledge was obtained regarding the economy and habits of this species, which would be of the greatest interest to naturalists; for up to the present time, of any true Bird of Paradise (to which family we may, without doubt, consider the Astrapia migra to belong), the egg is still unknown and a great desideratum in our museums. Although the male is so gaily attired, the female is a bird of very oucinary appearance, of sombre hues, and entirely destitute of any brilliant or metallic colour. Male.—Top of head and forehead black, with purple reflections. Feathers around the eyes and cheeks elongated, forming a semicircular crest, velvety black with purple reflections. Lengthened nuchal crest, fillmg up the space between those on side of the head, brown at base, broadly tipped with brilliant indescent green. Back and upper tail-coverts rich purple. Wings purple, with green reflections. Primaries black. Feathers of throat and chin greatly elongated, those of the latter extending forward and almost concealing the lower mandible, velvety black with purple reflections. Upper part of breast purplish black. A band of feathers commencing behind and beneath the eye, passing across the breast, and encircling the purplish black of the upper portion, brilliant fiery red, shining like a flame. Underparts rich deep green. ‘Tail composed of twelve broad feathers very much lengthened, crimped on lower side. The two central ones lustrous purple; remaining ones purplish black. The bill, feet, and tarsi are jet-black. ~ Female-—Head black, with a purple gloss. Upper parts brownish black, with purple reflections. Wings lustrous black, with purple lights. Underparts velvety black, with purple reflections. Tail shorter than that of the male, has two median feathers dark brown, with purple gloss, remainder light brown. Bill, feet, and tarsi black. Young male.—Head, throat, upper part of breast glossy black. Back and upper tail-coverts brownish black. Primaries and secondaries light brown, rufous on the edge of the outer webs. Abdomen, flanks, and under tail-coverts brownish black, barred irregularly with brownish white, inclined to rufous on the under tail-coverts. Tail-feathers long; two central ones dark brown; remaining ones light brown. Bill, feet, and legs jet-black. i i t re \ Fre J.Welf & J.Srmt del et Lith. ap : M&N Banhart imp PAROTIA SEXPENNIS. SIX-SHAFTED BIRD OF PARADISE. PARADISEA SEXPENNIS, Bodd. Tab. Plan. Enlum. (1783). PARADISEA PENICILLATA, Scop. Flor. et Faun. Insub. (1786) p. 88. MANUCODE A SIX FILETS, Buff. Plan. Enlum. vol. iii. (1774) p. 198, t. 633.—Briss. Hist. des Ois. (1778) vol. iii. p. 171. L’OISEAU DE PARADIS A GORGE DOREE, Sonn. Voy. Nouv. Guin. (1776) p. 158, pl. 97. GOLDEN-BREASTED BIRD OF PARADISE, Lath. Gen. Syn. (1782) p. 481, vol. ii—Id. Gen. Hist. Birds (1822), vol. ii. p. 194. sp. 12, pl. xlvii. PARADISEA AUREA, Gmel. Syst. Nat. (1788) vol. i. pt. i. p. 402. sp. 7—Bechst. Kurze Uebers. (1811) p. 133. sp. 11. PARADISEA SEXSETACEA, Lath. Ind. Orn. (1790) vol. ii. p. 194. sp. 9.—Shaw, Gen. Zool. (1809) vol. vii. pt. 2, p. 496, pl. 66 —Wagl. Syst. Av. (1827) sp. 6.—Less. Traité d’Ornith. (1831) t. i. p. 337.—Cuv. Régn. Anim. (1829) t. i. p. 427. —Vieill. Encycl. Méth. (USB) (hy Itt, p- 909, pl. exliv. fig. 1. LE SIFILET, Levaill. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Parad. vol. i. (1806) pls. 12 & 13.—Vieill. Ois. dor. (1802) vol. ii. p. 18, pl. 6.—Id. Analyse (1816), p. 33. PAROTIA SEXSETACEA, Vieill. Gal. Ois. vol. i. (1825) p. 148, pl. xcvii—Less. Trait. Ornith. (1831) p. 337.—Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p- 160.—Von Rosenb. Jour. fiir Ornith. (1864) p.131.—Less. Ois. Parad. (1835) Syn. p. 10. sp. 4; Hist. Nat. p. 172, pls. 10, 11, 11 bis, 12. PARADISEA AUREA, Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. (1850) p. 414. PAROTIA AUREA, G. R. Gray, List Gen. Birds (1855), p. 65.—Wall. Ibis (1861), p. 287. PARADISEA SEXPENNIS, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1861) p. 436.—Schleg. Journ. fur Ornith. (1861) p. 385.—Id. Tijdsch. Dierk. pt. v. p. 50. PAROTIA SEXPENNIS, Wall. Malay Archip. vol. ii. p. 250. Has. New Guinea. Amone the wonderful forms to be seen in the Family of the Paradiseidee this species must be considered as occupying a prominent place. As if nature had exerted herself to produce something totally different from any thing she had before attempted, she decorates this beautiful creature, not only with plumage of the most velvety texture, with a metallic shield upon its breast, and greatly lengthened side-plumes, but causes to spring from each side of the occiput three long wiry shafts, bearing small purplish-black spatules, a mode of adorn- ment unknown elsewhere among the various tribes of feathered creatures. The Six-shafted Bird of Paradise was first figured by Buffon in 1774, from a much mutilated specimen. The adult male has never yet been procured with all its members intact; an example which is as nearly perfect as any I have ever seen, wanting only the feet, is in my own collection. Although so long known to naturalists, no information regarding its economy or habits has ever been obtained by any of the adventurous travellers who have endeavoured to explore the difficult country it inhabits. Durmg M. von Rosenberg’s expedition into the interior of New Guinea, he obtained females of this species, which were widely different from the male in plumage, as a glance at the accompanying plate will show, and also remarkable for a tuft of feathers springing from each side of the head. I am indebted to the kindness of Prof. Schlegel for the loan of a very fine female of this species, procured by M. von Rosenberg, to be figured for this work. Male.—General colour velvety black, but in certain lights possessing most beautiful and brilliant moles and purple reflections. Feathers of the forehead extending forward and covering nearly two thirds of the bill, the terminal portion tipped with silvery white. Back of head crested, containmg m the centre a line of metallic feathers flashing out the most brilliant green conceivable, impossible to describe or represent. From each side of the head, behind the ear-coverts, spring the webless shafts, that extend for about five inches, bearing at their tips a spatule of the same velvety texture and colour as the body of the bird. The upper part of the breast is covered with a broad metallic shield, varying in different lights from gold to coppery bronze and pale greenish-blue, the centre of PAROTIA SEXPENNIS. the feathers composing this wonderful mass being velvety black. At the bottom of and beneath this shield starts -a dense mass of plumes, extending nearly to the tail, of the same colour as the rest of the plumage, and which the bird at times raises above its back. It lies away and separate from the feathers of the underparts, and conceals the outline of the body. The rest of the underparts are like the back, with the same violet reflections. Tail much rounded, of the same colour as the wings and body. Bill and feet black. Female.—Upper part of the head black, a short crest on the occiput and a small tuft on each side behind the eyes, forming a part of the nuchal crest. Upper part of back blackish brown, the rest of the back and wings reddish brown. Underparts buffy white, deepest on the abdomen and flanks, crossed with black on the throat and upper part of the breast, and with dark brown on the lower parts. A narrow black line goes from the base of the lower mandible to the ear. Tail very dark reddish brown, lightest on the edges of the webs. Bill and feet black. erate J Wolf & J. Smt. del eb lth . M&N Hanharl imp LOPHORINA ATRA LOPHORINA ATRA. SUPERB BIRD OF PARADISE PARADISEA ATRA, Bodd. Tabl. Plan. Enlum. D’Aub. (1783). LOISEAU DE PARADIS DE LA NOUVELLE GUINEE DIT LE SUPERBE, Buff. Plan. Enlum. vol. iii. (1774) p. 197, t. 632.—Briss. Hist. Nat. Ois. vol. iii. (1775) p. 169. OISEAU DE PARADIS A GORGE VIOLETTE, Sonn. Voy. Nouv. Guin. (1776) p. 157, pl. 96. PARADISEA NIGRA, Forst. Ind. Zool. p. 34. SUPERB BIRD OF PARADISE, Lath. Gen. Syn. (1782) p. 479.—Id. Gen. Hist. Birds, vol. iii. (1822) p. 191. sp. 8. _ PARADISEA SUPERBA, Gmel. Syst. Nat. (1788) vol. i. pt. i. p. 402. sp. 6—Scop. Faun. & Flor. Insub. (1786) p. 88.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. (1790) p. 194. sp. 7.Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. vii. pt. ii. (1809) p. 494, pls. 63, 64, & 65.—Id. Nat. Misc. vol. xxiv. pl. 1021.—Wagl. Syst. Av. (1827) sp. 5.—Wall. Ibis, (1859) p. 111.—Bechst. Kurz. Uebers. (1811) p. 132. sp. 9.—Schleg. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1861) p. 385. FURCATED BIRD OF PARADISE, Lath. Gen. Hist. Birds, vol. ii, (1822) p. 192. sp. 9. LOPHORINA SUPERBA, Vieill. Analy. (1816) p. 35. LE SUPERBE, Levaill. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Parad. (1806) vol. i. pls. 14, 15.—Vieill. Ois. dor. (1802) t. ii. pl. vii. PARADISEA FURCATA, Bechst. Kurz. Uebers. (1811) p. 132. sp. 10. LOPHORINA SUPERBA, Vieill. Gal. Ois. vol. i. (1825) p. 149, pl. xcviii.—Less. Trait. Ornith. (1831) p. 337.—Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. (1850) p. 414.Gray, List Gen. Birds (1855), p. 65.—Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p. 100.—Id. Ibis, (1861) p. 287.—Shaw, Gen. Zool. (1826) vol. xiv. p. 76.—Less. Ois. Parad. (1835) Syn. p. 12, Hist. Nat. p. 179, pls. 13 & 14. - LOPHORINA ATRA, Wall. Malay Archip. vol. ii. p. 249. Has. New Guinea. Tun so-called “Black Birds of Paradise,” although few in number, are possessed of the most extraordinary arrange- ment, developement, and brilliancy of plumage of all the members of this Family; and chief among them we may deem the bird now under consideration. The breast-shield, which of itself is a peculiar feature, met with, however, in other species of Paradiseidz, is in the Superb Bird of Paradise counterbalanced by a greatly elongated suboccipital crest, or mantle, which, when raised, constitutes a most conspicuous ornament, and strikes the beholder with amazement at the never ending resources of creative power. “This wonderful little bird,” says Mr. Wallace, “inhabits the interior of the northern peninsula of New Guinea only. Neither I nor Mr. Allen could hear any thing of it in any of the islands or any part of the coast. It is true that it was obtained from the coast-natives by Lesson; but when at Sorong in 1861, Mr. Allen learnt that it is only found three days’ journey in the interior. Owing to these ‘Black Birds of Paradise,’ as they are called, not being so much valued as articles of merchandise, they now seem to be rarely preserved by the natives; and it thus happened that during several years spent on the coasts of New Guinea and in the Moluccas I was never able to obtain a skin. We are therefore quite ignorant of the habits of this bird, and also of its female, though the latter is, no doubt, as plain and inconspicuous as in all the other ‘species of this family.” Both sexes of this species were procured by M. von Rosenberg, when among the mountains of the interior of New Guinea, and perfect skins sent to the Leyden Museum. ‘The female so closely resembles that of Paradisea sexpennis that, were the males unknown, any one might be excused who should regard them as only races of the same species; for the chief difference is the size, the present being the smaller of the two. That it was the true female of the Z. atra cannot be doubted, as beautiful specimens of the male were also obtained by M. von Rosenberg at the same time, and now adorn the galleries of the Leyden Museum. A pair of these wonderful birds were most kindly lent to me by Prof. Schlegel, who with his characteristic liberality, permitted me to bring them to London, in order that their portraits might be included in this work. The accompanying life-like represen- LOPHORINA ATRA. tation by Mr. Wolf is the result of this desire to advance the interest of science, so frequently evinced by Prof. Schlegel in his acts. Male.—Top. and back of head dark metallic green, a line of bright purple beneath the green on each feather ; feathers of the forehead extending over the nostrils in upright tufts on either side. A mantle of lengthened feathers springing from the nape and sides of neck velvety black, with olive-green and purple reflections. Back and rump velvety black, with purple reflections. Secondaries black, bright purple in certain lights, primaries purplish brown. Two central tail-feathers velvet in texture, black, with blue and purple gloss, rest of feathers purplish black. Sides of head with bright purple gloss, chin and throat black, with olive-green reflections ; lower part of neck in front bright purple. Upper part of breast covered by a shield, elevated at pleasure, of scaly feathers much elongated on each side, bright metallic blue-green, changing into purple in some lights. Rest of under- parts purplish black. Bill, feet, and tarsi jet-black. Female.—Top and sides of head brownish black, over the eye a short narrow white line, each feather tipped with black. Upper parts reddish brown, darkest near the lower part of neck. Secondaries dark brown, edges of webs rufous. Primaries blackish brown, edged with rufous. Chin, throat, and entire underparts white, barred with brownish black minutely on the throat, broader and more distinct on breast and abdomen. Under tail-coverts rufous, tipped with white and barred with brown. Tail brownish black, edges of the webs lighter brown. Bill, feet, and tarsi jet-black. | MeN Hanhart imp J. Wolf, & J. Smit. del. et.hth. DIPEYLEODES SPECIOSA DIPHYLLODES SPECIOSA. MAGNIFICENT BIRD OF PARADISE PARADISEA SPECIOSA, Bodd. Tabl. Plan. Enlum. D’Aub. (1783). PARADISEA MAGNIFICA, Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol. i. (1788) p. 401. sp. 4.—Lath. Ind. Orn. vol. ii. (1790) p. 194.Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. vii. (1809) pt. 2, p. 492, pl. 62; vol. xiv. (1826) p. 76.—Less. Trait. Ornith. (1831) p. 338.—Wagl. Syst. Av. pt. i. (1827) sp. 4.— Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p. 160.—Bechst. Kurze Uebers. (1811) p. 132. sp. 5.—Cuv. Réen. Anim. vol. i. (1829) p. 427. CRESTED PARADISE-BIRD, Lath. Gen. Hist. vol. iii. (1822) p. 190. sp. 7. LE MAGNIFIQUE, Vieill. Ois. Dor. vol. ii: (1802) p. 15, pl. 4. LE MANUCODE A BOUQUETS, Buff. Plan. Enlum. vol. iii. (1774) p. 194, t. 631.—Briss. Hist. des Ois. vol. iii. (1775) p. 166.—Levaill. Hist. Nat. des. Ois. Parad. vol. i. (1806) pls. 9, 10, & 11. L'OISEAU DE PARADIS SURNOMME LE MAGNIFIQUE, Sonn. Voy. Nouv. Guin. (1776) p. 163, pl. 98. MAGNIFICENT PARADISE-BIRD, Lath. Gen. Syn. vol. ii. (1782) p. 477, pl. xix._Id. Gen. Hist. Birds, vol. iii. (1822) p. 189, pl. xlv. PARADISEA CIRRHATA, Lath. Ind. Ornith. (1790) p. 195. sp. 4.—Bechst. Kurze Uebers. (1811) p. 132. sp. 6. DIPHYLLODES SELEUCIDES, Less. Ois. Parad. (1835) Syn. p. 16. sp. 7.—Hist. Nat. p. 191, pls. 19 & 20. DIPHYLLODES MAGNIFICA, Gray, List Gen. Birds (1855), p. 65.—Wall. Ibis, (1861) p. 287.—Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. p. 413. _PARADISEA SPECIOSA, Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. ii. p- 323. sp. 4.—Id. Hand-list Birds, pt. ii. (1870) p. 16. no. 6251.—Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas (1867), p. 86.—Id. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1861) p. 386.—Id. Tijdsch. Dierk. pts. iv. & v. pp. 17, 49. DIPHYLLODES SPECIOSA, Wall. Malay Archip. vol. ii. p. 247. DIPHYLLODES MAGNIFICA, Von Rosenb. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1864) p. 130. Has. New Guinea, Salwatty, Waigiou, Mysol (Watuacz); Joby (ScHLEGEL). Tus magnificent Bird of Paradise belongs to a group of which at present but two species are known, viz. the one now under consideration, and its relative the beautiful little D. respublica. They are distinguished by yellow mantles springing from the back part of the neck, and also by two singular wire-like feathers starting from the lower part of the rump, crossing each other just beyond the end of the tail, and then curving outwards into a large nearly complete circle. Mr. Wallace did not obtain this species; but through the exertions of the Dutch collectors beautiful specimens have been transmitted to Europe by Mr. Bernstein, who was sent out to the Indian archipelago by the officers of _the Leyden Museum. Mr. Wallace says, ‘from what we know of the allied species, we may be sure that the greatly developed plumage of this bird is erected and displayed in some remarkable manner. The mass of feathers on the under surface are probably expanded into a hemisphere, while the beautiful yellow mantle is no doubt elevated so as to give the bird a very different appearance from that which it presents in the dried and flattened skins of the natives, through which alone it is at present known. The feet appear to be dark blue.” Although the male of this beautiful species possesses such a magnificent dress, the female is a most unpretending-looking little bird, clothed in a suit of modest brown, crossed on the underparts with a darker brown. She is not unlike in appearance the female of the Cicinnurus regius, bemg a little larger, however, in size. It is a simgular fact that though, in many species of the birds of this family, the males are as widely different in the colours and style of their plumage as can be conceived, yet the females differ chiefly in size, and would never suggest the idea that they would produce male offspring possessing, as regards their feathers, no character in common. Although this beautiful species has been known to ornithologists for nearly a century, yet up to the present time nothing has been related of its habits and economy, and its nest and eggs have never yet been met with by any collector who has obtained the bird in its native home. Male.—Top of head rich brown, with a light greenish gloss; behind the eyes rufous, lighter than the crown. Feathers of the forehead, extending over the bill and covering the nostrils, deep rich chestnut, with a few metallic-_ green feathers interspersed amid the others; over and in front of the eyes a dark green metallic spot; ear-coverts and cheeks chestnut: a light straw-coloured mantle springs from the upper part of the neck just below the occiput, DIPHYLLODES SPECIOSA. and covers the upper part of the back; this can be raised or lowered at the pleasure of the bird: at the base of this mantle are a few short greyish feathers lying between it and the head: middle of the back very deep iridescent red, edges of the feathers blackish; greater wing-coverts composed of lengthened split light-buff feathers covering the secondaries ; these last are light buff on the outer webs of the upper ones, dark brown on the inner, the buff becoming less and less as the secondaries approach the primaries, until it is restricted to a mere lme on the edge. Primaries dark brown, edged with buff. Rump yellowish brown, with a sprinkling of orange-yellow, most conspicuous on the upper part. Feathers of the chin project forwards, reaching halfway the length of the bill, of so deep a chestnut as to appear in most lights black. Between the breast-feathers and the mantle, covering the shoulders, and extending one third the length of the wing is a mass of light-brown feathers, the upper ones tipped with blackish brown, the lower with rufous and black. Throat, breast, and abdomen beautiful brilliant green, with a broad line of iridescent feathers extending halfway down the centre from the chin. Lower part of abdomen, thighs, and under tail-coverts brownish black. Tail short, dark brown; from the centre, above the median feathers, sprmg two shafts with only one very narrow web, which cross each other near the place of starting, and project far beyond the tail, and return towards the body in one large graceful curve. The web is brilliant green, changing to rich purple im certain lights. The bill is black at the base, horn-colour towards the tip. Behind the eye is a narrow strip of bare skin. Feet and tarsi apparently dark blue. | Female—Wead and entire upper parts rufous brown; edges of the secondaries yellowish brown; primaries dark brown. Throat whitish, covered with small brownish spots; entire underparts brownish white, crossed with narrow lines of blackish brown; these lines broadest on the flanks. | Under tail-coverts rufous brown, crossed with dark brown lines. ‘Tail rufous brown like the back. Bull bluish black, deepest at the base and on the cutting-edges of both mandibles. Tarsi and feet black, or very dark blue. For the loan of a specimen of the female of this species, to be figured in the Plate, I am indebted to my friend M. Jules P. Verreaux, to whom I take this opportunity of expressmg my thanks. J Wolf. & j.Smmt delet lith . DIP VW LLOIDIE,S CHRYS OP PEIRA: DIPHYLLODES SPECIOSA, var CHRYSOPTERA. GOLDEN-WINGED BIRD OF PARADISE. DIPHYLLODES CHRYSOPTERA, Gould, MS. Has. ? Two specimens of this variety of D. speciosa are contained in Mr. Gould’s collection, and, being considered by him a distinct species, were named as above, although I am not aware that any description of them was published. The only difference perceptible between these specimens and those of the well-known species with which I have compared them, is that the wings are of a golden colour. In size they are equal. I do not consider that there are sufficient grounds shown for naturalists to regard these birds as belonging to a species distinct from the D. speciosa; and I have given a representation of them merely to exhibit a form of variation to which, perhaps, D. speciosa is subject in certain localities. The exact place from which they came is not known. I am indebted to Mr. Gould for the loan of his specimen to be figured for this work. The bird may be described as the same as D. speciosa with yellow secondaries. M&N.Hanhart imp J Wolf & J Smit del et hth. DIPIAVILLODE S INE SPUBLICA DIPHYLLODES RESPUBLICA. WILSON’S BIRD OF PARADISE, LOPHORINA RESPUBLICA, Bonap. Compt. Rend. (1850) p. 131.—Id. Consp. Gen. Av. p. 413. PARADISEA WILSONI, Cass. Journ. Acad. Nat. Scien. Phil. (1850) vol. ii. pl. 15.—Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1861) p. 436.—Sclat. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1865) p. 465.—Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas (1867), p. 87.—Id. Tijdsch. Dierk. part ii. p. 249. SCHLEGELIA CALVA, Bernst. Nederl. Tijds. Dierk. (1864) part. i. pl. 7. DIPHYLLODES RESPUBLICA, Sclat. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1857) p. 6.—Von Rosenb. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1864) p. 130. DIPHYLLODES WILSONI, Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p. 160.—Newton, Ibis (1865), p. 343.—Wall. Malay Archip. vol. ii. p. 248. Has.. Waigiou and Batanta (ScHLEGEL). Tuis species was first described by Bonaparte in February 1850, who gave to it the name of respublica, dedicating it to the Great Republic on the western shores of the Atlantic, thus antedatmg Mr. Cassm, who also described it in August of the same year from a rather imperfect specimen in the Academy of Sciences of Philadelphia, calling it after Mr. Edward Wilson, who had done so much towards rendering the ornithological collection in the Academy one of the finest in existence. For a long time it was one of the rarest of this family, and its habitat supposed to be New Guinea; but Bernstein obtained many specimens in the islands of Waigiou and Batanta, which were sent to Leyden, and lately others have arrived in London from the same localities. I am not aware that it has yet been found upon the mainland of New Guinea, where, however, it is not unlikely to occur. Although nearest allied to the D. speciosa, the present species has one remarkable difference in its nearly bare head, crossed by narrow lines of short velvety feathers, both sexes bemg alike in this peculiarity. The bare portion is deep blue. It also varies in having the second mantle behind and beneath the straw one deep red. Bernstem, who probably has seen more of these beautiful creatures in the flesh than any other European, speaks of it as follows in the Tijdschrift voor de Dierkunde :— | “This bird is distinguished from the other known species of the family of the Paradise-birds by having a great part of the top of the head and occiput naked. I believe that I am authorized to regard it as representing a new genus in the science. The genus with which it is connected by the presence of two middle rectrices lengthened and curved in spiral, is the Diphyllodes of Lesson, by the side of which it should be placed. This bird is found in the island of Waigiou; but it there inhabits the districts situated more or less near the interior, and is there much more rare than the Paradisea rubra, which is met with quite through the neighbouring island of Ghemien.” The genus proposed by Bernstem was Sch/legelia, after Professor Schlegel, of Leyden. I have not adopted it in this work, as it does not appear to me that the partially bare head, in the absence of any other distinctive characters, is sufficient to constitute a generic separation from D. speciosa, which in many ways the present species resembles. Male.—MYead bare, blue shading off to green along the edges of the exposed skin, and crossed twice by narrow lines of short brownish feathers. A nuchal yellow crest, similar to that of D. speciosa, springs from the nape of the neck. Mantle crimson, edges of the outer feathers bordered with black. Back brown as are also the tail-feathers. Wings brown, primaries, secondaries, and tertials edged with crimson, the two latter quite broadly. Underparts rich green, appearing black on the chin; lower part of abdomen brownish black. On the neck and breast appear spots of a more brilliant green than the general colour, of a metallic lustre. Two feathers sprmg from the base of thie tail above, project beyond it, and curve back towards the body in circles about an inch in diameter, steel-blue in colour. Bull black. Feet and tarsi leaden blue. Female.—Head bare as in the male, of the same colour, and crossed by similar brown lines of feathers. Upper parts and tail rufous brown. Underparts yellowish white, barred narrowly with blackish brown. Bill, feet, and tarsi of the same colour as in the male. seer ee scape tt SIONS anhart imp H N Mey del eLhth. U = J.Wolt & J.Sm KXAN DROME ILLUS AUREU > XANTHOMELUS AUREUS. GOLDEN BIRD OF PARADISE. GOLDEN BIRD OF PARADISE, Edw. Birds, vol. iii. (1760) p. 112.—Lath. Gen. Syn. vol. ii. (1782) p. 483. ORIOLUS AUREUS, Linn. Syst. Nat. (1766) vol. i. p. 163. sp. 19.—Gray, Hand-l. Birds, pt. 1. (1869) p. 293. sp. 4332.—Vieill. Ency. Méth. (1823) t. ii. p. 695. no. 5. LE PARADIS ORANGE, Vieill. Ois. dor. (1802) vol. ii. p. 26, pls. 11 & 12. PARADISEA AUREA, Lath. Ind. Orn. (1790) vol. ii. p. 195. sp. 11.—Bechst. Kurz. Uebers. (1811) p. 133. sp. 14.—Schleg. Journ. fur Ornith. (1861) p. 386. PARADISEA AURANTIA, Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. vii. pt. 1-2 (1809), p. 499, pl. 68. LE LORIOT DE PARADIS, Levaill. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Parad. (1806) vol. i. pls. 18, 19. LOPHORINA AURANTIA, Shaw, Gen. Zool. (1826) vol. xiv. p. 76. XANTHOMELUS AUREUS, Bon. Ann. d. Sc. Nat. Sér. iv. Zool. (1854) Ds 122.—Id. Compt. Rend. xxxviii. (1854) p. 538. —Elliot, Ibis, (1872) p. 112. SERICULUS AURANTIACUS, Less. Trait. Ornith. (1831) p. 339.—Id. Ois. Parad. (1835) Syn. p. 20. sp. 9, & Hist. Nat. P- 201, pls. 25, 25 bis, 25 ter. SERICULUS AUREUS, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1861) p. 435.—Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas (1867), p. 98.—Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p. 160.— Id. Ibis, (1861) p. 287.—Id. Hilelleyy Archip. vol. ii. pp. 257, 258.—Bon. Consp. Av. (1850) p. 349. sp. 1.—Gray, Gen. Birds (1841), vol. i.. p. 232. Has. Salwatty, New Guinea (Wauuacr). Tuis smgular and beautiful bird reminds one by the colour of its plumage of the family of Orioles, and has received the trivial name of the Paradise Oriole from some naturalists on this account. But its proper position is with the Paradiseidee; and although it has been generally classed with the Regent bird of . Australia in the genus Sericulus, yet I have considered it more appropriate, from the shape of the bill and general character of the plumage, such as a long erectile mantle and thick small crest, to place it in a distinct genus by itself, and have therefore adopted Bonaparte’s term of Xanthomelus. - It is an exceedingly rare bird, never having been received in a perfect state, the natives either cutting off the legs or pulling out the primary quills; and it is generally necessary to have more than one specimen in order to obtain all the various portions of the bird. The female, as is the case with those of many species of Paradise-birds, is even more rarely seen than the male, probably either because her sombre plumage renders her more difficult to be detected im the thick forests where they live, or else, being less desirable as an article of trade when bright feathers only are sought after, the natives neglect her and search after the more gaily attired male.. Nothing whatever is known of the economy or habits of this handsome species, our acquaintance with it being confined to the few skins in various collections. My. Wallace did not see it himself. He says, “this beautiful bird mhabits the mainland of New Guinea, and is also found in Salwatty, but is so rare that I was only able to obtain one imperfect native skin ; and nothing whatever is known of its habits.” Doubtless this species has the power to elevate and spread the mantle with which it is adorned, somewhat in the manner exhibited in the acompanying plate ; and beautiful indeed must it appear when thus displaying itself before its admiring mate, the quivering plumes falling around it like a shower of gold. Male.—Uead and lengthened plumes of the back, which cover the upper part of the body like a mantle, deep rich orange. Feathers of the throat extending in a point on to the breast ; primaries and tail jet-black. All the rest of the plumage deep rich yellow; the tips of the secondaries black. . Bill horn-colour at base, black for the remaining portion. . Female.—General plumage uniform olive-colour ; the throat blackish brown, spotted with olive. The bill and feet brown. IWolfk TSmit del.etlith. : ; | M&NHanhart mp. Cie yn URUS REGCIUS CICINNURUS REGIUS. KING BIRD OF PARADISE THE KING BIRD OF PARADISE, Edw. Birds, vol. iii. (1750) pl. 111. PARADISEA REGIA, Linn. Syst. Nat. (1766) vol. i. p. 166.—Gmel. Syst. Nat. (1788) vol. i. part i. p. 400.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. (1790) p. 194.—Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. vii. part ii. (1809) p. 497, pl. 67.—Bechst. Kurze Uebers. (1811) p. 132. sp. 4.—Less. Voy. Coquille (1826), Atlas, pl. 26, (text) vol. i. p. 688.—Cuy. Rég. Anim. (1829) vol. i. p. 427—Wagl. Syst. Av. (1826) sp. 7.—Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1858) p. 181. sp. 74, (1861) p. 436.—Id. Hand-list of Birds, part ii. (1870) p. 16. no. 6252.—Schlee. Mus. Pays-Bas (1867), p. 88.—Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p. 160.—Id. Ibis, (1859) p. 111.—Gray, Gen. of Birds, vol. . p. 323. sp. 5.—Schleg. Handl. Dierk, t. i. p. 332, (Atlas) pl. iv. fig. 46.—Wall. Malay Archip. vol. ii. pp. 131 & 248.—Schleg. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1861) p. 385.—Schleg. Tijdsch. Dierk. parts iv. & v. pp. 17 & 49. LE MANUCODE, Buff. Plan. Enlum. (1774) p. 192, t. 496.—Briss. Hist. des Ois. vol. ili. (1775) p. 163, pl. xili:—Levaill. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Parad. (1806) vol. i. pls. 7 & 8.—Vieill. Ois. Dor. vol. ii. (1802) pl. 5, p. 16. LE PETIT OISEAU DE PARADIS, Briss. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 136, pl. xiii. (1760). LE ROI DES OISEAUX DE PARADIS, Sonn. Voy. Nouv. Guin. (1776) vol. i. p. 156, pl. 95. KING PARADISE-BIRD, Lath. Gen. Syn. vol. ii. (1782) p. 475.—Id. Gen. Hist. Birds, vol. ili. (1822) p. 188. sp. 5. CICINNURUS SPINTURNIX, Less. Ois. Parad. (1835) Syn. p. 14. sp. 6.—Id. Hist. Nat. p. 182, pls. 16, 17, & 18. CICINNURUS REGIUS, Vieill. Gal. des Ois. vol. i. (1825) p. 146, pl. xevii—Less. Traité d’Orn. (1831) p. 338.—Wall. Ibis, (1861) p. 287.— Shaw, Gen. Zool. (1826) vol. xiv. p. 77.—Von Rosenb. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1864) p. 130. CICINNURUS REGIA, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. (1851) p. 413. sp. 1.—Gray, List Gen. Birds (1855), p. 65. Burong rajah, Malay. Goby-goby, Natives of Aru Islands. Has. New Guinea, Aru Islands, Mysol (Waxzxzace); islands of Sorong, Salwattie, Wokam, and Wonoumbai, of the Aru Group (RosenBere) ; Jobie (ScHLEGEL). 7 Amone all the members of the Paradiseidee, none excels the present little gem in the beauty and brillianey of its plumage. Although it has always been a great desideratum in collections, both public and private, and all travellers who have visited the islands where it is found have tried in every way to procure it, still we know little, if any thing, of its economy or habits. Mr. Wallace first met with it in the Aru Islands. He. says, “the first two or three days of our stay here were very wet, and I obtained but few insects or birds; but at length when I was beginning to despair, my boy Baderoon returned one day with a specimen which repaid me for months of delay and expectation. It was a small bird, a little less than than the Thrush. Merely in arrangement of colours and texture of plumage, this little bird was a gem of the first water; yet these comprised only half its strange beauty. Springing from each side of the breast, and ordinarily lying concealed under the wings, were little tufts of greyish feathers about two imehes long, and each terminated by a broad band of intense emerald-green. These plumes can be raised at the will of the bird, and spread out into a pair of elegant fans when the wings are elevated. . But this is not the only * ornament. The two middle feathers of the tail are in the form of slender wires about five inches long, and which diverge in a beautiful curve. About half an inch of the end of this wire is webbed on the outer side only, and coloured of a fine metallic green; and bein g hanging five inches below the body, and at the same distance apart. These two ornaments, the breast-fans and the e curled spirally inwards they form a pair of elegant glittermg buttons, spiral-tipped tail-wires, are altogether unique, not occurring on any other species of the eight thousand different birds that are known to exist upon the earth, and, combined with the most exquisite beauty of plumage, render this one of the most perfectly lovely of the many lovely productions of nature. My transports of admiration and delight quite amused my Aru hosts, who saw nothing more in ‘Burong raja” than we do in the Robin or Goldfinch. Thus one of my objects in coming to the far East was accomplished. I had obtained a specimen of the King Bird of Paradise, which had been deseribed by Linnzeus from skins preserved in a mutilated state by the natives. I knew how few Europeans had ever beheld the perfect little organism I now gazed upon, and how very imperfectly it was still CICINNURUS REGIUS. known im Europe. The emotions excited in the mind of a naturalist who has long desired to see the actual thing which he has hitherto known only by description, drawing, or badly preserved external covering, especially when that thing is of surpassing rarity and beauty, require the poetic faculty fully to express them. After the first King- bird was obtained, I went with my men into the forest; and we were not not only rewarded with another in equally perfect plumage, but I was enabled to see a little of the habits of both it and the larger species. It frequents the lower trees of the less dense forests, and is very active, flying strongly with a whirring sound, and constantly hopping or flying from branch to branch. It eats hard stone-bearing fruits as large as a gooseberry, and often flutters its wings after the manner of the South-American Manakins, at which times it elevates and expands the beautiful fans with which its breast is adorned. The natives of Aru call it < Goby-goby.’ It is tolerably plentiful in the Aru Islands, which led to its being brought to Europe at an early period along with Paradisea apoda. It also occurs in the Island of Mysol, and im every part of New Guinea which has been visited by naturalists.” Lesson says, “we met with the Manucode twice during our hunts, and we killed the male and the female. This species appears to be monogamous, where perhaps it is isolated in pairs at the period of breeding. In the wood this bird has no brilliancy. Its plumage of fiery red does not betray it, and the female has only sombre colours. It loves to keep in the teak trees, whose large leaves shelter it, and the small fruits of which compose its food. The iris is brown, and the feet of a very delicate azure blue. The Papous call it ‘saya.’” Male——Head, throat, breast, wings, and entire upper parts brilliant deep fiery red, the texture of the feathers resembling spun glass. Feathers of the forehead extend over the bill for two thirds of its length, concealing the nostrils. Over each eye is a small dark green spot. The colour of the breast is somewhat darker than that of the upper parts, and its lower edge is a light golden red. Beneath the red of the breast is a band of beautiful iridescent green. Springmg from each side of this band, beneath the wings, are a number of lengthened feathers, which the bird can spread out like a fan, dark grey in colour, tipped with most brilliant green; this last divided from the grey of the rest of the feather by a narrow line of buff. Rest of the underparts pure white. Underpart of tail-feathers grey, with purple reflections. Sprmgmg from the centre of the tail, near the rump, are two shafts projecting for about four inches beyond the tail, devoid of webs until near their tips, where a brilliant green outer web appears, which is curved round upon itself, forming a glittermg button—one of the most extraordimary modes of ornamentation known among the feathered creatures. The bill of this little gem is yellow; the feet and tarsi blue. Female—Nead and entire upper parts dark brown. Outer edges of secondaries reddish. Underparts reddish buff, crossed with broken bars of dark brown, darkest on the sides of the throat. Tail lighter than the back; edges of the feathers olive-brown. Bill light yellow; tip dark brown. Feet and tarsi bluish. Young male.—Upper parts yellowish brown. Secondaries like those of the female, but the edges of outer webs and tips rich orange. Throat buff, striated with dark brown. Entire underparts rich uniform buff; flanks only barred with dark brown. J Wolf. & J. Smit del.cé dith M&N. Hanhart imp : | PAB ADIGAL LA -C ARUN CULATA PARADIGALLA CARUNCULATA. WATTLED BIRD OF PARADISE ASTRAPIA CARONCULATA, Eydoux et Souleyet, Voy. de la Bonite, p. 83 (1841) ; Atlas, pl. 4. PARADIGALLA CARUNCULATA, Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. (1850) p. 414.—Gray, List Gen. Birds (1855), p. 65: Less. ASTRAPIA CARUNCULATA, Gray, Hand-l. Birds (1870), pt. ii. p. 17.—Id. Gen. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 326. sp. 2.—Schleg. Journ. fur Ornith. (1861) p. 386.—Von Rosenb. Journ. fur Ornith. (1864) p. 131. PARADIGALLA CARUNCULATA, Lesson, Ois. Parad. (1835) p. 242.—Id. Rev. Zool. (1840) p. 1.—Sclat. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1857) p. 6.—Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p. 160.—Wall. Malay Archip. vol. ii. p. 257. Has. New Guinea (Lxsson). Tuis curious Bird of Paradise, apparently nearest allied to the magnificent Astrapia nigra, is believed to be an inhabitant of New Guinea, that strange land which contains so many species of this Family, and amid whose imaccessible fastnesses no doubt many more, rivallmg m beauty and eccentric plumage any of those already known, are yet to be discovered. The present bird was first obtamed by Eydoux and Souleyet durig the voyage of the ‘Bonite;’ and all that is known of it is contained in the short extract given below, which I translate from their work upon the animals obtaimed during the cruise. So rare, however, is this bird, that I am only aware of two specimens at present contamed im any museum, one of these bemg the type m the museum of Paris, and one contained in the equally fine collection belonging to the Academy of Sciences of Philadelphia. MM. Hydoux and Souleyet state:—“The only Astrapia known, the type im fact, upon which Vieillot established this generic division, is that magnificent species from New Guimea, which Levaillant called ‘ Paradise-Pie,’ Latham Paradisea gularis, and modern ornithologists who have adopted this division (Astrapia with the golden throat) Astrapia gularis. The one which we now publish will be the second known species of this genus. It is distinguished by the compressed wattles, of a triangular form, probably erectile—wattles that recall a little those of the White Plover (Vanellus albicapillus, Vieill.). They are placed at the side of the upper mandible, and are comprised between the opening of the mouth and the nasal fossee, covering the lores and the cheeks; they adhere to the edges of the frontal bone, and extend on the sides of the forehead, above which they are elevated several millimetres ; another wattle, much smaller and straighter, includes a large part of the lower mandible, and only presents a slight extension on the side; these two membranes, by their meeting near the commissure of the jaws, appear to be a continuation of each other. A compact plumage, of a beautiful changeable green, covers the top and sides of the head; the throat is ornamented with greenish black feathers, having the form of raquets, diverging and overlapping for three or four millimetres the branches of the lower mandible; above, the body is a beautiful velvety black, sprinkled with fine Imes of a golden green, which only appear in certain lights; beneath, it is black shaded with a deep brown. ‘The wings (to judge by only two primaries which remain upon one of the individuals which serve for our description) and the tail (of which the feathers are tapering and rounded) are of the same colour as the back above, and of a rich brownish black beneath. The bill is black. We cannot say any thing about the tarsi, which are wanting in the specimen we describe, as is the case with most of those of the Birds of Paradise; those that we have figured have been imagined or, ordinarily, taken from some allied species. We know nothing of this bird, except its habitat; it comes from New Guinea, to which the genus Astrapia appears up to the present time to be limited. “It would be difficult to give the exact measurements of this species; for of the two individuals from which we have taken our description, one is entirely without the tail, and that of the other is in process of development after moulting. At the same time the new feathers, which present a shaft provided at the base with disordered beards, show that the tail of Astrapia carunculata, almost entirely developed in our specimen, will be longer than that of the Calybée, which is from ten to twenty millimetres only; so that this bird will be nearly 36-37 centimetres.” M&N.Hanhart imp J Wolf & J.Smit.del.etlith. SEMIOP TERA VWALILACII. SEMIOPTERA WALLACIL WALLACEH’S BIRD OF PARADISE. PARADISEA (SEMIOPTERA) WALLACII, G. R. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1859) p. 130.—Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas (1867), p. 91.—Id. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1861) p. 385. ; SEMIOPTERA WALLACII, G. R. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1860) pp. 61, 355.—Gould, Birds of Austr. Suppl. pl. 3.—Gray, Hand-l. Birds (1869), pt. i. p. 105. no. 1276.—Sclat. Ibis (1860), p. 26, pl. 2.—Wall. Ibis (1859), p. 210 (mote); (1861), p. 212.—Id. Malay Archip. vol. ii. p. 17.—Von Rosenb. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1864) p. 125. : Has. Batchian, Halmahera (WaLLAcE and BEernsTEIN). Tus strange form of Paradise-bird was discovered by Mr. Wallace in the island of Batchian, and is one of the most remarkable species that he has ever made known to the scientific world. It differs in so many ways from the other members of this family, that it cannot be compared with any one of them; and although its general plumage is plain and dull, yet the rich green breast, the feathers extending in lengthened plumes on either side, together with the extraordinary character presented in the two feathers springing from each wing, elevate this bird to a place among the most singular members of the Paradiseide. How rejoiced was the naturalist, after much toil, anxiety, and many disappointments, to obtain & new Bird of Paradise, the first procured for many years, can be better appreciated by his letter written to Mr. Stevens, at the time of his great acquisition, and which I here reproduce :-—“ Batchian, 29th Oct., 1858.—Here have I been as yet only five days; but, from the nature of the country, and what I have already done, I am imelined to think it may prove one of the best localities I have visited. Birds are as yet very scarce ; but I still hope to get a fine collection, though I believe I have already the finest and most wonderful bird in the island. I had a good mind to keep it a secret; but I cannot resist telling you. I have a new Bird of Paradise! of a new genus!! quite unlike any thing yet known, very curious and very handsome!!! When I get a couple of pairs, I will send them overland, to see what a new Bird of Paradise will really fetch. Had I seen the bird in Ternate, I should never have believed it came from here, so far out of the hitherto supposed region of the Paradiseide. 1 consider it the greatest discovery I have yet made; and it gives me hopes of getting other species in Gilolo and Ceram... . I can do nothing at drawing birds, but send you a horrible sketch of my discovery, that you may not die of curiosity.” In Mr. Wallace’s most interesting volumes on the Malay archipelago, he gives the following account of the way he procured this species :—‘ y ae a Uy | “a ‘7. ine , x ij) a he ‘ Ls ‘ aaa, : 3 . | ¥ — Supramriry EPIMACHIN A. 7 et art ao ‘ im oa pas ee aad f ae apa hee “A , : a _ Bill long, curved, attainmg the maximum of development in the be a. r i : ' < : 1 ' . —_ i rc : Oo Drepanornis Albertisi. Males possessmg developed plumes, but -in a minor de i eee 7 those of the first subfamily. Teas on oo, = eee a a E , , ‘ mo ” 1 - ' vv J P ate ; ‘ y 7 =, : ‘ ry Lr vi / ’ ; ; ; : - € i iS » 1 a ; ~ iz a ; : ‘ ' ; F ; ‘ " _ ; Le - ' i ' « ' , n i i} hy ae : he “ ‘eae ~ . f ' ¥ c : oe 7 i: a ”T + U * " i = i. ; _«@ ; .f j a an \ 1 bs a } q : Pl | ? : , ; 2 ; x . i r ~~? 9 * * oy ste . hs gray X\ 4 * 4 in i 4 or P t : - = = be Es " — ‘ ¥ ay Ties 1 5 fy &J Smit del « J Wolf KPIMACHUS SPECIOSUS. GREAT SICKLE-BILL BIRD OF PARADISE UPUPA SPECIOSA, Bodd. Tab. Plan. Enlum. (1783), ¢ UPUPA STRIATA, Bodd. Tab. Plan. Enlum. (1783), ¢ ; LE GRAND PROMEROPS DE LA NOUVELLE GUINEE, Sonn. Voy. Nouv. Guin. ane p- 163, pl. 101. LE PROMEROPS BRUN DE LA NOUVELLE GUINEE, Sonn. Voy. Nouv. Guin. (1776) p. 164, pl. 100. — LE PROMEROPS A LARGE PARURE, Levaill. Hist. Nat. des Promerop. et des nen pls. 13 & 15. UPUPA MAGNA, Gmel, Syst. Nat. vol. i. pt. i. (1788) p. 468. sp. 7. UPUPA PAPUENSIS, Lath. Ind. Ornith. (1790) vol. i. p. 279. sp. 6. UPUPA SUPERBA, Lath. Ind. Orn. (1790) vol. i. p. 279. sp. 7. PROMEROPS DE LA NOUVELLE GUINEE, Buff. Plan. Enlum. nos. 638, 639, vol. vi. UPUPA FUSCA, Gmel. Syst. Nat. (1788) vol. i. pt. i. p. 468. sp. 6. PARADISEA PROMEROPS, Gmel. Syst. Nat. (1788) vol. i. pt. i. p. 467. sp. 3.—Shaw, Gen. Zool. (1811) vol. viii. pt. i. p. 147, juv. PROMEROPS SUPERBUS, Shaw, Gen. Zool. (1811) vol. viii. pt. i. p. 145. PROMEROPS STRIATA, Shaw, Gen. Zool. (1811) vol. viii. pt. i. p. 144. FALCINELLUS SUPERBUS, Vieill. Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat. vol. xxviii. p. 166 (1817). LE PROMEROPS RAYE, Vieill. Ois. dor. GRAND PROMEROPS, Lath. Syn. vol. ii. p. 695, t. 32. FALCINELLUS MAGNUS, Vieill. Analyse (GE) yp: 47. GRAND PROMEROPS A PAREMENS FRISES.—Buff. Hist. Nat. des Ois. p 472. EPIMACHUS MAGNUS, Cuv. Régn. Anim. (1817) p. 407. EPIMACHUS SUPERBUS, Wagl. Syst. Av. (1827) sp. 1—Shaw, Gen. Zool. (1826) vol. xiv. p. 77.—Less. Trait. Ornith. (1831) p. 321. - sp. 3. Atlas, pl. 73. fig. 1.—Von. Rosenb. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1864) p. 123. CINNAMOLEGUS PAPUENSIS, Less. Hist. Nat. des Parad. (1835) pls. 39, 40; Syn. p. 32. sp. 4. EPIMACHUS MAGNUS, Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. (1850) p. 411. sp. 1.—Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p. 160.—Id. Ibis (1861), p. 287.—Schleg. Neder. Dierk. vol. i. p. 332.—Wall. Malay Archip. vol. ii. p. 255.—Schleg. Journ. fir Ornith. (1861) p. 386. EPIMACHUS SPECIOSUS, Gray, Gen. of Birds (1845), vol. i. p. 94. sp. 1.—Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas (1867), p. 94. EPIMACHUS MAXIMUS, Gray, Hand-]. Birds (1869), pt. i. p. 105. No. 1274.—Id. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1861) p. 433. Has. New Guinea. Turs is another species of which nothing is known, except what can he derived from the imspection of dried, often mutilated skins. The development of its plumes is most wonderful, and cannot fail to excite the admiration even of the most casual observer. Mr. Wallace did not succeed in obtaming it during his long wanderings in the Eastern archipelago. He says that “this splendid bird inhabits the mountains of New Guinea, in the same district with the Superb (Lophorina atra) and the Six-shafted (Parotia sexpennis) Paradise-birds, and, I was informed, is sometimes found in the ranges near the coast. I was several times assured by different natives that this bird makes its nest in a hole underground, or under rocks, always choosing a place with two apertures, so that it may enter at one, and go out at the other. This is very unlike what we should suppose to be the habits of the bird; but it is not easy to conceive how the story originated if it is not true; and all travellers know that native accounts of the habits of animals, however strange they may seem, almost invariably turn out to be correct.” In 1816, Vieillot, in his ‘Analyse,’ page 47, proposed the generic term of Falcinellus for this species, using as his type the Promérops de la Nouvelle Guinée of Buffon’s ‘Planches Enluminées,’ 638, 639, vol. vi. This, however, could not be adopted, since the same term had been proposed by Bechstem in 1803 (Gem. Naturg.) for a species of Heron; and Cuvier’s ee of Epimachus, proposed in his ‘Régne Animal,’ 1817, p. 407, is therefore the next in order. - EPIMACHUS SPECIOSUS. The EH. speciosus was first named by Boddaert, as quoted in the list of synonyms given above. Gray, in his ‘Handlist,’ refers it, however, to the EH. maximus of Scopoli. I have been unable to find this name. It is not in ‘Annus primus;’ and as this is the- only one of Scopoli’s works that takes precedence of Boddaert, we may properly deem the appellation given by the latter author the correct one for the species. _Male-—Upper part of head bright metallic steel-blue. Entire upper parts brownish black, with steel-blue reflections; a line of metallic steel-blue feathers in the centre of the back, purple in some lights. Primaries and secondaries brownish black, the latter with steel-blue reflections. Cheeks metallic blue, with purple gloss. Chin purplish black; throat bright purple. Entire underparts dark olive-green. On each side of the breast spring a mass of lengthened feathers, with very broad outer webs, exceedingly narrow imner ones, curving abruptly downwards at the tips, purplish black, the lower feathers tipped ‘with most brilliant steel-blue, glossed with purple and green, forming a most conspicuous bar on either side of the body. The lower flank-feathers extending beyond these lateral plumes are tipped broadly with brilliant metallic green, separated from the olive-brown of the remaining portion by a narrow line of blue, followed by one of black. ‘Two central tail-feathers exceedingly long, black, with steel-blue and purple reflections ; remaining feathers brownish black. Bill long, slender, and much curved, jet-black. Feet and tarsi also black. Female-—Upper part of head brownish red; rest of wpper parts olive-brown, becoming slightly rufous on the rump and upper tail-coverts. Secondaries reddish brown edged with rufous. Primaries dark brown; edge of outer web rufous. Cheeks, throat, and upper part of breast brownish, black. Underparts white narrowly barred with black. Tail light brown, with a rufous tinge. Bill long and slender, much curved, and, together with the feet and tarsi, jet- black. The above descriptions are taken from perfect skins belonging to the Leyden Museum, loaned to me by Prof. Schlegel. MéNHanhart. imp JWolf & JSmuit. del.et Ith. KP LMAC ICS lc rOrn EPIMACHUS ELLIOTL ELLIOT’S BIRD OF PARADISE EPIMACHUS ELLIOTI, Ward, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1873, November 18) p. Has. New Guinea. Tus very beautiful species, by which I am honoured in having it bear my name, was lately described by Mr. EK. Ward in the ‘Proceedings of the Zoological Society,’ as above stated. Mr. Ward obtained it in a small collection of birds from the East Indies; and it is presumed that its native country is New Guinea, that land which has produced so many wonderful animal forms, and which is regarded as the home of the remarkable Birds of Paradise. Although essentially belongmg to the genus Epimachus, the present bird is very distinct from the single previously known species with which every one has been familiar for many years; and it is very interesting at this late day to become acquainted with a second, allied form of the same genus. The pimachus Ellioti is only about two thirds the size of its large relative; but it is possessed of far more briliant colours in its plumage, and in the sunlight must present a beautiful appearance indeed as its rich velvety feathers throw off their changeable hues of purple and green, with the metallic colours of the tips of the side-plumes flashing on the eye as the bird raises them tremblingly over its wings. The broad tail-feathers, with their amethyst dyes, look not unlike watered silk, and are of velvety softness, as is, indeed, the entire plumage of the body. ‘The skin, having been prepared by a native, was deprived of its primaries and legs ; but otherwise it was in good condition— sufficiently so to enable Mr. Wolf to produce the beautiful and characteristic drawing on the accompanying Plate, which is a very faithful representation of the species. The female is unknown, but would probably resemble that of E. speciosus. The species may be described as follows :— Top of head rich amethyst; occiput and side of neck also amethyst-colour, changing in certain lights to a rich light greenish gloss. Back, wings, upper tail-coverts, and tail, brilliant violet-purple ; the wings and tail also marbled with a dark amethyst hue, like watered silk, changing according to light. Throat and upper part of breast deep maroon-colour, with purple reflections. A narrow reddish purple band crosses the lower part of the breast. Sides of the breast, flanks, and rest of underparts dark green. The flank-feathers much elongated, and stretching beyond the wing. Beneath the shoulder of the wing spring two rows of plumes, which are greenish at their base, graduating into deep purple, and terminating in a brilliant metallic blue very much narrower on the upper row than on the lower one. The plumage of the entire bird is very velvety in texture, and, with the exception of the metallic parts, appears black in ordinary lights. Bill black, rich orange-yellow at gape. The figures are life-size. JWolf & ISmit. del.et hth. M & NHanhart. imp. DIREIPANORINIS ALI ATI DREPANORNIS ALBERTISL D'ALBERTIS'S BIRD OF PARADISE DREPANORNIS ALBERTISI, Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1873) p. 558. Has. Mount Arfak, New Guinea (ALBERTIS). Pernars the most wonderful, as it certaimly is the most interesting bird procured by Signor d’Albertis durmg his stay in New Guinea is the present species, a pair of which, representing both sexes, were included in the small collection forwarded to Dr. Sclater, a list of which, with descriptions of the novelties, has been lately published in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. Among the peculiarities of this new form, _is the very long and greatly curved bill, this beimg, strangely enough, longer and more curved in the female than in the male. The latter, although it might at first sight be deemed rather a plain bird, is really possessed of an extraordinary and beautiful adornment, in the two tufts of plumes springing from its sides, which, when raised and spread above the body, would present an ornament ‘almost unique of its kind, and the bird would then appear to the greatest advantage; the brilliant metallic red of the feathers composing the smaller tuft would flash upon the eye in the sun’s rays like a flame, tempered to a certain degree however by the deep-purple terminations of the more lengthened plumes springing a little lower down from the sides. Signor d’Albertis’s notes on this species, furnished to Dr. Sclater, are as follows:—“