over the upper part of the back. Beneath this, and forming a band about one-third of an inch beyond it, is a second mantle of rich, glossy, reddish-brown feathers. The rest of the back is orange-brown, the tail-coverts and tail dark bronzy, the wings light orange-buff. The whole under surface is covered with an abundance of plumage springing from the margins of the breast, and of a rich deep green color, with changeable hues of purple. Down the middle of the breast is a broad band of scaly plumes of the same color, while the chin and throat are of a rich metallic bronze. From the middle of the tail spring two narrow feathers of a rich steel blue, and about

THE MAGNIFICENT BIRD OF PARADISE (Diphyllodes speciosa).

ten inches long. These are webbed on the inner side only, and curve outward, so as to form a double circle.

From what we know of the habits of 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.

This rare and elegant little bird is found only on the mainland of New Guinea, and in the island of Mysol.

THE SUPERB BIRD OF PARADISE.

563

A still more rare and beautiful species than the last is the Diphyllodes wilsoni, described by Mr. Cassin from a native skin in the rich museum of Philadelphia. The same bird was afterward named "Diphyllodes respublica" by Prince Bonaparte, and still later, "Schlegelia calva," by Dr. Bernstein, who was so fortunate as to obtain fresh specimens in Waigiou.

In this species the upper mantle is sulphur yellow, the lower one and the wings pure red, the breast-plumes dark green, and the lengthened middle tail-feathers much shorter than in the allied species. The most curious difference is, however, that the top of the head is bald, the bare skin being of a rich cobalt blue, crossed by several lines of black velvety feathers.

It is about the same size as Diphyllodes speciosa, and is no doubt entirely confined to the island of Waigiou. The female, as figured and described by Dr. Bernstein, is very like that of Cicinnurus regius, being similarly banded beneath; and we may therefore conclude that its near ally, the " Magnificent," is at least equally plain in this sex, of which specimens have not yet been obtained.

The Superb Bird of Paradise was first figured by Buffon, and was named by Boddaert, Paradisea atra, from the black

THE SUPERB BIRD OF PARADISE (Lophorina atra). ground color of its plumage. It forms the genus Lophorina

of Viellot, and is one of the rarest and most brilliant of the whole group, being only known from mutilated native skins. This bird is a little larger than the Magnificent. The ground color of the plumage is intense black, but with beautiful bronze reflections on the neck, and the whole head scaled with feathers of brilliant metallic green and blue. Over its breast it bears a shield formed of narrow and rather stiff feathers, much elongated toward the sides, of a pure bluish-green color, and with a satiny gloss. But a still more extraordinary ornament is that which springs from the back of the neck—a shield of a similar form to that on the breast, but much larger, and of a velvety black color, glossed with bronze and purple. The outermost feathers of this shield are half an inch longer than the wing, and when it is elevated it must, in conjunction with the breast-shield, completely change the form and whole appearance of the bird. The bill is black, and the feet appear to

be yellow.

This wonderful little bird 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 on any part of the coast. It is true that it was obtained from the coastnatives by Lesson; but when at Sorong in 1861, Mr. Allen learned 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.

The Golden, or Six-shafted Paradise Bird, is another rare species, first figured by Buffon, and never yet obtained in perfect condition. It was named by Boddaert, Paradisea sexpennis, and forms the genus Parotia of Viellot. This wonderful bird is about the size of the female Paradisea rubra. The plumage appears at first sight black, but it glows in certain lights with bronze and deep purple. The throat and breast

THE SIX-SHAFTED BIRD OF PARADISE. 565

are scaled with broad flat feathers of an intense golden hue, changing to green and blue tints in certain lights. On the back of the head is a broad recurved band of feathers, whose brilliancy is indescribable, resembling the sheen of emerald and topaz rather than any organic substance. Over the forehead is a large patch of pure white feathers, which shine like satin; and from the sides of the head spring the six wonderful feathers from which the bird receives its name. These are slender wires, six inches long, with a small oval web at the extremity. In addition to these ornaments, there is also an immense tuft of soft feathers on each side of the breast, which

THE SIX-SHAFTED BIRD OF PARADISE (Parotia sexpennis).

when elevated must entirely hide the wings, and give the bird an appearance of being double its real bulk. The bill is black, short, and rather compressed, with the feathers advancing over the nostrils, as in Cicinnurus regius. This singular and brilliant bird inhabits the same region as the Superb Bird of Paradise, and nothing whatever is known about it but what we can derive from an examination of the skins preserved by the natives of New Guinea.

The Standard Wing, named Semioptera wallacei by Mr. G. R. Gray, is an entirely new form of Bird of Paradise, dis

covered by myself in the island of Batchian, and especially distinguished by a pair of long narrow feathers of a white color, which spring from among the short plumes which clothe the bend of the wing, and are capable of being erected at pleasure. The general color of this bird is a delicate olivebrown, deepening to a kind of bronzy olive in the middle of the back, and changing to a delicate ashy violet with a metallic gloss, on the crown of the head. The feathers, which cover the nostrils and extend half-way down the beak, are loose and curved upward. Beneath, it is much more beautiful. The scale-like feathers of the breast are margined with rich metallic blue-green, which color entirely covers the throat and sides of the neck, as well as the long pointed plumes which spring from the sides of the breast, and extend nearly as far as the end of the wings. The most curious feature of the bird, however, and one altogether unique in the whole class, is found in the pair of long narrow delicate feathers which spring from each wing close to the bend. On lifting the wingcoverts they are seen to arise from two tubular horny sheaths, which diverge from near the point of junction of the carpal bones. As already described at page 336, they are erectile, and when the bird is excited are spread out at right angles to the wing and slightly divergent. They are from six to six and a half inches long, the upper one slightly exceeding the lower. The total length of the bird is eleven inches. The bill is horny olive, the iris deep olive, and the feet bright orange.

The female bird is remarkably plain, being entirely of a dull pale earthy brown, with only a slight tinge of ashy violet on the head to relieve its general monotony; and the young males exactly resemble her. (See figures at page 336.)

This bird frequents the lower trees of the forests, and, like most paradise birds, is in constant motion-flying from branch to branch, clinging to the twigs and even to the smooth and vertical trunks almost as easily as a wood-pecker. It continually utters a harsh, creaking note, somewhat intermediate between that of Paradisea apoda and the more musical cry of Cicinnurus regius. The males at short intervals open and flutter their wings, erect the long shoulder feathers, and spread out the elegant green breast-shields.

The Standard Wing is found in Gilolo as well as in Batch