570 The Birds of Paradise. 



Birds in the genus Ptiloris. Though very beautiful, these 

 birds are less strikingly decorated with accessory plumage 

 than the other sj^ecies we have been describing, their chief or- 

 nament being a more or less developed breastplate of stifE me- 

 tallic green feathers, and a small tuft of somewhat hairy 

 plumes on the sides of the breast. The back and wings of 

 this species are of an intense velvety black, faintly glossed 

 in certain lights with rich j3urple. The two broad middle 

 tail-feathers are oj^alescent green-blue with a velvety surface, 

 and the top of the head is covered with feathers resembling 

 scales of burnished steel. A large triangular space cover- 

 ing the chin, throat, and breast, is densely scaled with feathers, 

 having a steel-blue or green lustre, and a silky feel. This is 

 edged below with a narrow band of black, followed by shiny 

 bronzy green, below which the body is covered with hairy 

 feathers of a rich claret color, deepening to black at the tail. 

 The tufts of side-plumes somewhat resemble those of the true 

 birds of paradise, but are scanty, about as long as the tail, 

 and of a black color. The sides of the head are rich violet, 

 and velvety feathers extend on each side of the beak over the 

 nostrils. 



I obtained at Dorey a young male of this bird, in a state of 

 plumage which is no doubt that of the adult female, as is the 

 case in all the allied species. The upper surface, wings, and 

 tail are rich reddish brown, while the under surface is of a 

 pale ashy color, closely barred throughout with narrow wavy 

 black bands. There is also a pale banded stripe over the eye, 

 and a long dusky stripe from the gape down each side of the 

 neck. This bird is fou.rteen inches long, whereas the native 

 skins of the adult male are only about ten inches, owing to the 

 way in which the tail is pushed in, so as to give as much prom- 

 inence as possible to the ornamental plumage of the breast. 



At Cape York, in North Australia, there is a closely allied 

 species, Ptiloris alberti, the female of which is very similar to 

 the yoimg male bird here described. The beautiful Rifle Birds 

 of Australia, which much resemble these j^aradise birds, are 

 named Ptiloris paradiseus and Ptiloris victorias. The Scale- 

 breasted Paradise Bird seems to be confined to the main-land 

 of New Gxiinea, and is less rare than several of the other 

 species. 



