MANUCODIA COMRIL, Seater.

Curl-crested Manucode.

Manucodia comrii, Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1876, p. 459, pl. xlii—Id. Ibis, 1876, p. 364.—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Gen.
ix. p. 191 (1876).—Sclater, P. Z.S. 1877, p. 43.—Gould, B. New Guin. i. pl. 33 (1877).—Ramsay, Proce.
Linn. Soe. N. S. W. iv. p. 469 (1879).—Eudes-Deslongch. Ann. Mus. d’Hist. Nat. Caen, i. p. 47 (1880).—
Salvad. Orn. Papuasia, ii. p. 491 (1881).—Sharpe, Journ. Linn. Soc., Zool. xvi. p. 442 (1882).—
Salvad. Orn. Papuasia, iii. p. 551 (1882).—Musschenbr. Dagboek, pp. 196, 230 (1883).—Rosenb.
MT. orn. Ver. Wien, 1885, p. 40.—D’Hamony. Bull. Soc. Zool. France, xi. p. 510 (1886).—Tristr.
Ibis, 1889, p. 554.—Salvad. Agg. Orn. Papuasia, ii. p. 147 (1890).—Id. Ann. Mus. Gen. (2) x. p. 239
(1891).—Id. Agg. Orn. Papuasia, ili. p. 239 (1891).—North, Rec. Austr. Mus. il. p. 32, pl, vil. (1892).—
Meyer, Abhandl. k. zool. Mus. Dresden, 1892-93, no. 3, p. 15 (1893).

 

Tus is the largest species of the Manucodes, and was discovered by Dr. Comrie in Huon Gulf, in South-
eastern New Guinea, during the cruise of H.M.S. ‘Basilisk.’ Mr. Geisler also saw the species in this locality,
but did not manage to procure a specimen. Dr. Meyer suggests that a comparison between the birds from
New Guinea and D’Entrecasteaux Island should be instituted. In the British Museum are specimens from
both the above-named localities, as well as from Normanby Island, and J cannot perceive the least difference
between them, in size or colour. Mr. A. Goldie procured several specimens on Fergusson or D’Entre-
casteaux Island, and the species has been met with in the same locality by Dr. Loria, who also procured it
on Goodenough Island.

The following is Dr. Sclater’s original account of the species :—

‘Dr. Comrie has placed in my hands for determination some bird-skins collected by him while serving
as medical officer in H.M.S. ‘ Basilisk’ during its recent survey of the south-east coast of New Guinea
under the command of Captain Moresby. The collection contains thirteen skins, belonging to eleven
species, of which one is quite new to science, and two others are only known from single specimens.”

“This Manucodia,’ Dr. Sclater continues, ‘‘ may be regarded as by far the finest and largest species of
the genus yet discovered. It is immediately distinguishable from JZ. chalybeta and M. atra by its much
larger size and longer bill, which is deeply suleated at the nostrils. The characteristic curling of the
feathers is extended to a greater degree, and pervades the whole of the head and neck. The feathers of
the abdomen are black at the base, broadly margined with purple. Dr. Comrie obtained a single specimen
of this fine bird in May 1874 in Huon Gulf. It was shot flying amongst the trees in the scrubby forest,
about a quarter of a mile from the coast.”

The egg of this species is described and figured by Mr. A. J. North in the ‘Records’ of the Australian
Museum for 1892. The photographic illustration which accompanies Mr. North’s paper represents an egg
of the type of those of the Birds of Paradise with which we have recently been made familiar.

Mr. North gives the following account of this interesting discovery :—‘« The Trustees of the Australian Mu-
seum have lately received from the Rev. R. H. Rickard the egg of Manucodia comri, taken by him on Fergusson
Island, off the south-east coast of New Guinea, in July 1891. The Rev. Mr. Rickard informs me that from
the 20th of June to the 20th of July he had at various times engaged, in company with his black boy, in
shooting Manucodes on this island, but rarely sawa female bird. Early in July he found a nest of this species
in the lower branches of a bread-fruit tree at a height of twenty-five feet from the ground. ‘The female was
on the nest, which was an open, loosely-made structure of vinelets and twigs, placed at the extremity of the
branch. Having secured the bird, he found that she was in very indifferent plumage, as though she had been
sitting for a long time, and the eggs, two in number, were chipped and just upon the point of hatching. The
egg is an elongate ovoid in form, and is of a warm isabelline ground-colour, with purplish dots, blotches, and
bold longitudinal streaks, uniformly dispersed over the surface of the shell, intermingled with similar super-
imposed markings of purplish grey. Length 1-60 inch x 1:13 inch.”

The following is the description of the type specimen, from Huon Gulf:—

Adult. Above velvety black, the feathers slightly recurved at the ends, with a subterminal mark of metallic
green ; scapulars metallic steel-green, edged with velvety black; lesser and median wing-coverts steel-
green, shot with purple, with a narrow fringe of velvety black ; greater coverts, primary-coverts, and quills

wa RE EE IAL EI IS i ME A SO ae)