472 Miscellaneous. 



wanting only in Aru, Salwatty, and Waigiou. The next most widely 

 spread species is P. magnified, occurring in two islands (Salwatty and 

 Mysol) as well as on the mainland. The other species are all found 

 on the mainland only — with the exception of P. apoda (probahly re- 

 stricted to Aru), and P. rubra, which, being certainly confined to the 

 small island of Waigiou, offers the most restricted range of the whole 

 family. 



It is interesting to remark that all the islands on which true Pa- 

 radisece are found are connected by banks of soundings to the main- 

 land of New Guinea. The hundred-fathom line includes the islands 

 of Aru, Mysol, Waigiou, and Jobie, which have probably been, at no 

 distant geological period, connected with New Guinea ; while Ke, 

 Ceram, &c, are separated from it by deep sea, and on them no Pa- 

 radisece exist. 



The island of Gilolo, on which the genus Semioptera occurs, ex- 

 tends towards Waigiou, and has the island of Guebe exactly between 

 the two, suggesting the probability of a connexion there ; but the 

 depth of the intervening sea is unknown. 



It may be considered as certain that every species of Paradise-Bird 

 yet obtained from the natives has come from the north peninsula of 

 New Guinea, that being the part most frequented by the Malay 

 traders. The vast extent of country east of long. 136° is quite un- 

 known ; but there can be little doubt that it contains other and 

 perhaps yet more wonderful forms of this beautiful group of birds. 

 If we look round the whole circumference of the globe, we shall be 

 unable to find a region at once so promising to the naturalist and so 

 absolutely a " terra incognita" as this great tropical land ; and it is to 

 be hoped that our explorers and naturalists may soon be induced to 

 direct their attention to this hitherto neglected country. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Remarks in reference to the Gracula pectoralis of Mr. Wallace. 

 By G. R. Gray. 



Mr. Wallace has lately described an interesting bird under the 

 appellation of Gracula pectoralis, which bird had been previously 

 recorded by Lesson, under the name of Sericidus anais, from a spe- 

 cimen in M. Bourcier's collection. Lesson gives a correct description 

 (Revue de Zool. 1839, p. 44) of the bird, so far as a mutilated New- 

 Guinean skin would permit. 



The late Prince 0. L. Bonaparte, in 1850, refers to Lesson's spe- 

 cies in his ' Conspectus Avium,' but in his very short notice of it he 

 unfortunately uses the word abdomine when it ought to have been 

 pectore, and thus this misapplication of a word has caused a difficulty 

 in defining the bird. This mistake he also continued in the 'Comptes 

 Rendus,' 1853, page 831, though he there gave a new and more 

 lengthened description. At the same time he proposed it as the type 

 of a new division, under the name of Melanopyrrhus. 



