DIPHYLLODES GULIELMI IIL, Meyer.

Waigiou Bird of Paradise.

Diphyllodes Gulielmi IIT., Meyer, P. Z.S. 1875, Darou

Paradisea (Diph.) Gulielmi III., Van M usschenbroek, Zool. Garten, 1875, p. 29.

Diphyllodes Gulielmi LI. (v. Mussch. in lit.), Meyer, Mittheilungen a. d. kgl. zool. Mus. Dresden, 1875, pp. 4-8,
jol,

 

THE present bird was discovered, in 1874, in the mountains of eastern Waigiou ; and a short description was
sent by Mr. S. C. T. Van Musschenbroek, the Dutch resident at Ternate, who is well known for his exertions
in the cause of science. The original communication was made through Baron von Rosenberg, who takes
the opportunity of remarking that it is also most likely to be found on the island of Batanta, as in general
respects the avifaunas of the two islands are identical. Of course there is the probability of the above
suggestion ultimately turning out correct; but it is a bold suggestion for a traveller of Von Rosenberg’s
experience to have made. The same paper expresses his opinion that the splendid new Paradisea
Raggiana is a manufactured species, a supposition equally untrustworthy! Dr. Meyer about the same time
communicated a note on the species to the Zoological Society, which I reproduce, as it so well expresses
the differences between it and its allies.

‘Notwithstanding there are more points of resemblance between the new species and Diphyllodes
speciosa and D. respublica than between it and Cicinnurus regius, some features immediately remind one of
the latter, e. 2. the red colour and structure of the glossy feathers of the upper parts, the webless tail-
shafts, at least at the beginning, and chiefly the similar fan, formed by elongated, broad and metallic-green-
edged feathers, on the sides of the breast, not quite but nearly of the same colour and size as in Cicinnurus
regius. This fan has been hitherto known to exist only in the latter species, except as regards the
homologous organization of the large Epimachus speciosus.

“ Diphyllodes Gulielmi IT. has nearly the same-shaped crest, inserted on the neck, as Diphyllodes speciosa ;
but the crest seems to be somewhat smaller, and the colour of it differs from that of the latter species, as
well as all other colours of the upper surface of the two birds, whereas the form and colour of the bill
appear to be very similar in the two species. The new bird shows nothing of the broad line of iridescent
feathers extending down from the chin over the breast, and nothing of the light-brown feathers of the
shoulders and of the neck occurring in Diphyllodes speciosa.

“ Diphyllodes Gulelm IIL. reminds one of D. respublica in the shape of the green velvet feathers of the
breast, and especially in the shape of the two elongated tail-shafts, with the single difference that these are
webbed in Diphyllodes respublica from the beginning, and that they do not project so far as in Diphyllodes
Gulielmi ITT. ; but the breadths of the webs agree. The colour of the web is between that of the button of
Cicinnurus regius, which is more of a green, and that of the web of Diphyllodes speciosa, which is more
of a blue.

“From this short comparison with the allied species, it follows that Diphyllodes Gulielni IIT. is a new
species with very characteristic features, not to be confounded for a moment with any other hitherto known.
These characteristic features are chiefly the shape of the elongated tail-shafts, with their web, the reddish
colours of nearly all the upper parts, the violet-coloured belly, and the fan-like tufts at the sides of the
breast.”

I here insert a description of the female, with which I have been kindly favoured by Dr. Meyer :—

Whole upperside olive-brown; chin, throat, breast, belly, abdomen and under wing-coverts hght yellow
with fine brown stripes; each feather has several such light and dark markings, the lines getting smaller
towards the upper part of the body; upperside of the wings brownish, secondaries and tertiaries margined
yellow on the outer webs; underside silver-grey, basal portions of the inner webs cream-coloured ; upper
part of shafts brown, lower part whitish, underside of tail changing into grey, outer web lighter, lower parts
of shafts white, upper part brown.

I owe the opportunity of figuring the present bird to the kindness of M. A. Bouvier, who lent the male
specimen in his possession to Mr. Sharpe to bring from Paris for the purpose of this work. The example
is intended for the Warsaw Museum.

Two males are represented in the Plate, of the natural size.