56 On certain Species of the Corvidse and Paradiseidse. 



Mr. Sharpe has described (Cat. Birds, iii. p. 181) a bird from 

 Aleya, on the south-eastern coast of New Guinea, as Phony- 

 gamajamesi, separating it from the P. keraudreni, from its 

 having the general colour above and below burnished green 

 instead of burnished steel-blue. I have had the opportunity, 

 through the kindness of my friend Prof. Salvador!, of exam- 

 ining specimens of P. keraudreni from the Aru Islands, from 

 Ramoi, on the west coast of New Guinea, opposite Salwatty, 

 and from Yule Island, on the south-east coast of New 

 Guinea, quite close to Aleya, whence came the so-called P. 

 jamesi. These specimens, from such distant localities, are ab- 

 solutely identical, except that the Yule-Island bird has less 

 of the green gloss on the back than the others, and slightly 

 more on the throat and breast. These variations are only such 

 as are to be expected among examples of birds having a metallic 

 plumage, and are at times carried to an extreme degree. I 

 observed similar variations, when writing my monograph of 

 the Paradiseidse, in specimens of P. keraudreni, as I consider 

 them, from Australia and New Guinea ; for while the former 

 are usually of a more green plumage, I have seen them with 

 a purple gloss ; and I consider it not improbable that a large 

 series of these birds from contiguous localities would exhibit 

 a graduation from the blue P. keraudreni to the green so- 

 called P. gouldi. I am inclined, therefore, to consider that 

 the Phonygama jamesi is not really distinct, Mr. Sharpe's 

 type having possibly a little more green lustre on parts of its 

 plumage than western New-Guinea specimens — although from 

 the description I should think not, as it agrees perfectly with 

 Beccari's Aru-Island bird, now before me. 



I will add that I have compared the Yule-Island bird with 

 Lesson's type of P. keraudreni from Dorey, and that, if there is 

 any difference, Lesson's bird is a little more green upon the 

 back, which would bring it nearer to P. jamesi, thus showing 

 that these tints are not to be depended upon for specific cha- 

 racters ; for if there are two species. Lesson's type ought to 

 be the bluer. 



The types of Manucodia jobiensis have been placed in my 

 hands for examination by Prof. Salvadori. They represent, I 



