236 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



contained young birds, some of them nearly able to fly, and 

 others apparently but just emerged from the Qgg. The whole of 

 these nests were exactly alike and formed of the same mate- 

 rial, the dry wiry climbing stalk of a common parasitic plant, 

 without any kind of lining ; they were exceedingly difficult 

 to examine from their being placed on the weakest part of 

 the extremities of the horizontal branches of a thickly-foliaged 

 tree at an altitude of not less than thirty feet from the ground ; 

 they were of a very shallow form, about five inches and a half 

 in diameter ; the eggs Avould seem to be three or four in 

 number, as three of the nests contained three, and the other 

 two four young birds in each." 



The head and the body both above and below are deep 

 black, the feathers of the head with a crescent, and those of 

 the breast with a spot of deep metallic green at the tip; 

 wings and tail deep glossy green ; under wing-coverts black, 

 tipped with white ; irides brownish red ; bill and feet blackish 

 brown. 



Genus MANUCODIA, Boddaert. 



Of this genus only a single species is found in Australia, 

 the exact position of which in the natural system has not, in 

 my opinion, been satisfactorily determined. I think it is as 

 well placed here as elsewhere. 



Sp. 133. MANUCODIA GOULDII, G. R. Gray. 



Gould's Manucode. 

 Manucodia gouldii, G. R. Gray in Proc. Zool. Soc.,part xxvii. p. 1 58, note. 



Manucodia Keraudreni, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, Supple- 

 ment pi. 



New Guinea, owing to the hostile character of its native 

 population, is a sealed country to the collector, and we really 

 know but little of its natural productions. There are doubt- 

 less many fine birds in its mountain districts which never 

 quit their own forests, while others are from time to time 



