564 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



and tail, black. The neck and breast have scale-like feathers of a brill- 

 iant, changeable green, edged with gold. 



The Superb Bird-of-Paradise {Lophorina atra, Yieillot) is distin- 

 truished for its black, velvety scapulary feathers, Avhich are greatly 

 developed so as to form a long, double tuft or plume, which it can 

 raise at pleasure, so as to appear as a very large, double crest, or per- 

 mit it to fall upon its back and sides. A tuft of feathers, also, hangs 



Fig. 5. 



Gold-breasted Bird-of-Paeadise {Parotia sexpennis). 



from the breast, which spreads " into a doubly-pointed form, being of 

 the most brilliant steely green, and glittering with gemdike radiance 

 in the sunbeams. The general color of the bird's plumage is the deep- 

 est imaginable violet, appearing of a velvety blackness from its very 

 intensity, and only flashing forth in the brighter hues as the light falls 

 upon the edge of each feather. The back, hind neck, and head, are 

 of a greenish-gold color, with a velvety appearance ; the wings are a 

 dull, deep black ; the tail is black, with a blue gloss ; the throat, 

 changeable violet ; and the belly, bright golden green." 



Wallace's Bird-of-Paradise, or the standard-wing {Semioptera Wal- 

 lacei, Gray) is a little larger than the American robin. The head, 

 neck, back, wings, and tail, are all of a light brown or drab color ; 

 the belly, drab streaked or mottled with black. From the short feath- 

 ers at the bend of each wing arise two white feathers or plumes, about 

 six inches long, which the bird can raise and keep erect, or let fall 

 upon the wing, at its pleasure. But the great beauty of the bird con- 

 sists in its brilliant double tuft, proceeding from the breast and lower 

 part of the neck, extending downward and obliquely outward, and 

 terminating in two points about four inches apart. This tuft is of a 

 bright, metallic green, changing into blue, violet, or black, according 

 to the direction of the light ; it is exquisitely beautiful in itself, and 

 its beauty is increased, if possible, by the striking contrast with the 

 otherwise dull color of the bird. The lescs and feet are of a drab- 



