the Exploration of the Fly River. 369 



mens from Cape York are of a uniform dark shining green, 

 while specimens from New Guinea differ, having the wings, 

 tail, and back of a rich shining purplish violet. Gymnocorvus 

 senex, a very common bird all over New Guinea, is remark- 

 able for the great differences of its plumage at different ages. 



It was to be expected that in the centre of New Guinea 

 many species of Paradise-birds were to be found ; but only 

 six species are given in ray list, and certainly many others 

 are to be discovered there. The most beautiful of them, no 

 doubt, is the Seleucides albus, or Twelve-wired Bird of Para- 

 dise, and at the same tin;ie one of the rarest. On the upper 

 part of the Fly River I saw it several times crossing the river 

 very slowly ; and often in the morning and before sunset it 

 was seen on the top of some high tree, motionless and uttering 

 its mournful note. It is a very suspicious bird, and for this 

 perhaps, is still rare in museums. It is found also on the 

 north-west coast of New Guinea and Salawatti Island. Ci- 

 cinnurus regius is a too common bird (also of the north coast 

 and Aru Islands) to be spoken of. Sericulus aureus is found 

 also all over New Guinea. I saw it on the Arfak Mountains, 

 at Najabui, in the eastern peninsula, and now also up the 

 Fly ; but it is a rare and shy bird. Salvadori places this bird 

 close to the Chlamydoderce, but I cannot see more affinity in 

 this bird with Chlamydodera than with Cicinnurus ; at the 

 same time, however, from its head, bill, wings, and shortness 

 of the tail, I think it nearer to Cicinnurus than to the Chlamy- 

 dodera. To say that it has not the same habits as the true 

 Paradise-bird is not of much value ; for nearly every species 

 or at least every genus, has its own habits. 



Ptilorhis magnifica is found also in Australia and on the 

 west coast of New Guinea and Salwatti. Paradisea raggiana, 

 discovered at Orangerie Bay in 1873, by myself, extends its 

 habitat up to the centre of New Guinea, and seems to be 

 common enough ; its plumes are used by the natives as head- 

 dresses all over the country where the bird is found. Another 

 bird, very closely allied to the last mentioned, is Paradisea 

 apoda, or a new species resembling it very much. If 

 admitted to be P. apoda, is it proper to say that it is the first 



