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PARADISEA JOBIENSIS, Rothsch.

Jobi Lesser Bird of Paradise.

Paradisea minor (pt.), Salvad. Orn. Papuasia e delle Molucche, ii,
p. 651.—Salvad. Agg. Orn. Papuasia, ii. p. 158 (1890),
Paradisea minor jobiensis, Rothschild, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, y

P- 577 (1881). —Guillem. P. Z. 1885,

1. p. xlvi (1897). |

| Tue Jobi Island form of Paradisea minor is easily distinguishable in a series of
longer flank-plumes. It is a very recognizable race when compared w

of New Guinea. In every other respect the Jobi birds re

skins by its larger size and
ith specimens of the ordinary P. minor
semble typical P. minor, but their larger size has
, and other naturalists. The last-named traveller
states that in Jobi the abundance of the present species was wonderful. “Jn the neighbourhood of Ansus,

dno less than fifty-one examples in five days. The
known segregation of the older males at certain (or all ?) periods of the ye

been more than once remarked by Salvadori, Guillemard

at an altitude of about 1000 feet or less, we obtaine

ar_ partly explains the great
Immature males are also very common, but it is difficult
to get females, and there is no doubt a considerable actual preponder

preponderance of that sex in the present series.
ance in numbers in favour of the
male sex.”
Dr. Guillemard gives an interesting account of the changes of plumage in this Bird of Paradise from
the large series obtained by him during the voyage of the ‘Marchesa.’ The iris was “« lemon-yellow, with a
tinge of green. The green shade is sufficiently well marked during life, but fades immediately after death,
when the iris appears yellow. Feet and tarsus bluish slate ; bill almost lavender.”

Dr. Guillemard remarks further that the sixty specimens of the Lesser Bird of Paradise recorded by him
in his paper on the birds collected during the voyage of the yacht ‘Marchesa’ form “only a part of the
whole series collected during the voyage,” but they “demonstrate well the gradual change from immature
to adult plumage.” These changes are described by Dr. Guillemard as aS :—* The young birds in first
plumage exactly resemble the females, but in a short time the purity of the white on the under surface and a
marked increase in size render apparent the difference in sex. ‘The yellow of the scapulars becomes more

! marked, and the green of the throat and the yellow of the head begin to appear simultaneously. This green
is assumed by the gradual tipping of each feather with that colour (in the ul the apex one each feather
is green), while on the head the brown feathers gradually become yellow from beneath. The plumage of
the head and throat having become complete, the two median rectrices begin to elongate, and the lower
part of the throat becomes tinged with chestnut. At a further stage the SE has ce more yellow,
the chestnut on the throat and breast has extended, and the median rectrices, which are still slightly webbed
at the tip, protrude some six inches beyond the other feathers. Ata ull furthe ; ae a ae
yellow mantle is complete, the entire breast is chestnut, and the albilogueg is becoming so, ine eg
tail-feathers have reached their extreme length, and nothing is therefore wanting to complete the full plumage
except the chestnut abdomen and the long sub-alar plumes, of which ittemstete is as yet no ae

** Tam rather inclined to the belief that the bird remains for some time in this all poutioct plumage. e
were fortunate enough in our expedition to New Guinea to obtain no less than four living Soe
species, three of which are at the present moment (June, 1885) in the Gardens pee SN ee
When first obtained, in the month of December, they were in the dress I have use ie red, ee
remained thus for some two or three months. The yellow feathers of the bead then fell 0 in : 0 : ; :
four, the birds becoming quite bald in patches, leaving nothing but the black skin showing. At a

; : wae appear. New feathers rapidly appeared on the head; they were
same time the sub-alar tufts began to appear. e 2 < poe optic Gear
almost white at first, but soon assumed the yellow shade. The sub-alar tufts grew q y,
folerably long within three weeks of their first Lee iled rice, banana, papaw fruit, cockroaches,

“ The food given to the birds while on board consisted of boiled rice, banana, |
ee nes ess.” idered to occur in the true Paradisea minor, and for

The changes of plumage described above may be Eee 00
these reasons I have quoted Dr. Guillemard’s account 1n full. ee

The close resemblance of P. jobiensis to P. minor has rendered a separate figure j

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