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allusion to the species is that of Valentyn, who was evidently a

son that the earliest )
n in the work of this old traveller with the

omparing the descriptions give
latter are derived from the observations of Valentyn.

There can be no quest
very careful observer 5 and on c
authors, it is evident that the
has been said to occur in tl
ant of North-western New Guinea, and it is probably

accounts of the older

Although the present species
is strictly an inhabit
Here it has been actually obtained by D’Albertis and Beceari, to whom

ie island of Waigiou, all the evidence of recent

years tends to prove that it
confined to the Arfak Mountains.
we owe an account of its labits. “neceant whites = The Lpimachi have been separated from the other
Birds of Paradise; but I think this 1s paradoxical.
females are found with the beak only half the length of that

e me think at first that I had found the female of Z. edlioti;

The form and the length of the beak of pimachus

maximus is most variable ; the young males and

: See
of the adult males and females. This f
but I was mistaken. An Epimachus seems to be

to return there as I had intended.
tks of Mount Arfak, nearly always above 6000 feet elevation. Specimens

‘act mad
found at Waigiou, and will probably be E. elvioti; but I

was not able Epimachus marinus and Astrapia gularis are only found

on the highest and most difficult pee
h; but those which have attained perfect plumage are rare, perhaps

in dark plumage are common enoug
Both of them live on the fruits of certain Pandanacee, and

because they take some years to acquire it.
especially on those of the Freycinetie, which are epiphytous on the trunks of trees.”

Mr. Wallace never obtained perfect skins of this species, on which he bas published the following note :—
lid bird inhabits the mountains of New Guinea, in the same district with the Superb (Lophorina

«This splenc
Paradise-birds, and, I was informed, is sometimes found in the

atra) and the Six-shafted (Parotia sexpennis )
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
This is very unlike what we should suppose to be the habits of the bird ; but it

and go out at the other.
ll travellers know that native accounts

is not easy to conceive how the story originated if it is not true ; and a
of the habits of animals, however strange they may seem, almost invariably turn out to be correct.”

The descriptions are taken from the ‘ Catalogue of Birds.’

Adult male. Above velvety black, with metallic feathers of coppery green on the head, middle of the back,
and rump; lores and feathers on the side of the head metallic like the crown; entire under surface of
body velvety black, with a purplish-brown gloss on the sides of the body; on each side of the breast springs
a tuft of sickle-shaped plumes in the shape of a fan, velvety black, tipped with a broad band of steel-blue,
before which is a narrow subterminal band of purplish blue ; flank-feathers long and drooping, the outer
ones broadly tipped with metallic bronzy-green, before which is a double subterminal band of velvety black
and purplish blue ; wings velvety black, with a gloss of steel-blue ; tail-feathers black, all but the three outer-
most feathers washed with steel-blue, the two centre ones entirely of this colour: bill and legs black 5 iris
dark brick-red (Beccar?). Total length 26 inches, culmen 2°80, wing 7°2, tail 16°7.

Female. Upper part of head brownish red; rest of upper 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,
with the feet and tarsi, jet-black.

Count Salvadori, who has examined a large series of this bird, states that the young birds are at first very
ch Mise the old female, and that the black plumage is obtained by a change of feather instead of by a moult.
The first indication of the change is seen by a blackening of the tail-feathers. This dark appearance next
extends to the wings and the back. The Count has not been able to trace the sequence of change of the
black plumage, but he states that he has no doubt that the black dress is assumed by a change of pattern
of feather rather than by a moult. ; :

ae
the ae poner: a male and female, nearly of the natural size. It is the same as that which appeared
in Mr, Gould s ‘Birds of New Guinea,’ and the figures are taken from a fine pair formerly in bis collection,
and now in the British Museum. ; :