PRE EA © ie

THe Birds of Paradise have always attracted great attention among lovers of nature, on
account of their extraordinary form and beautiful decoration ; they have, therefore, been
frequently monographed and figured. Since Dr. A. R. Wallace first published his notes on the
habits of these beautiful birds in his ‘ Malay Archipelago,’ many new forms have been discovered
in the great island of New Guinea, some of them being still more remarkable for their
fantastic plumage and curious habits than those which were known to him ; and even during
the progress of the present work some really startling species have been brought to light,
which have obliged the publishers to extend the scope of the work beyond the original

limits proposed.

A few of the Plates have been reproduced from Gould's ‘ Birds of New Guinea,’ but a great
number of species are here figured for the first time, and in the ‘ Introduction’ I have given a

complete list of the genera and species at present known.

I am extremely grateful to the Hon. Walter Rothschild for the loan of many specimens from
his Museum at Tring; and I have also to thank Mr. C W. De Vis, the Director of the
Queensland Museum, for the opportunity of figurmg some of the new species discovered in
British New Guinea by Sir William MacGregor. I must also express my obligations to Count
Salvadori, Dr. A. B. Meyer, Mr. KH. Hartert, and other friends for much kindly advice and
assistance; and it is with sincere gnef for the loss of my Mentor in ornithology, that I have
to acknowledge the help which I received from my old friend Mr. Osbert Salvin, one of
whose last actions was to look over the proofs of the ‘ Introduction ’ and ‘ Appendix ’ to the

present work.

With the exception of a few species drawn by Mr. Keulemans from specimens in foreign
We a a a . .
Museums, the whole of the Plates have been prepared by Mr. W. Hart, so w ell known for his

long and honourable association as artist for Mr. Gould's ornithological works.

R. BOWDLER SHARPE.

Chiswick, June 20, 1898.

el