Mr. G. 11. Gray on a new Bird of Paradise. 145 



from Mr. Wallace, dated Batchiau, Moluccas, Oct. 29, 1858, was 

 read : — 



" Here I have been as yet only five days ; but from the nature of 

 the country, and what I have already done, I am inclined to think 

 it may prove one of the best localities I have yet visited. Birds are 

 as yet very scarce ; but I still hope to get a fine collection, though I 

 believe I have already the finest and most wonderful bird in the 

 island. I had a good mind to keep it a secret, but I cannot resist 

 telling you. I have a new Bird of Paradise \ of a new genus I ! 

 quite unlike anything yet known, ver}- curious and very handsome!!! 

 When I can get a couple of pairs, T will send them overland, to see 

 what a new Bird of Paradise will really fetch. Had I seen the bird in 

 Ternate, I should never have believed it came from here, so far out of 

 the hitherto supposed region of the ParadiseidcE. I consider it the 

 greatest discovery I have yet made ; and it gives me hopes of getting 

 other species in Gilolo and Ceram. There is also here a species of 

 Monkey — much further eastwards than in any other island; so you 

 see this is a most curious locality, combining forms of the East and 

 West of the Archipelago, yet with species peculiar to itself. It also 

 differs from all the other Moluccas in its geological formatiou, con- 

 taining iron, coal, copper, and gold, mth a glorious forest vegetation 

 and fine large mountain streams : it is a continent in miniature. The 

 Dutch are working the coals ; and there is a good road to the mines, 

 which gives one easy access to the interior forests. 



" I can do nothing at drawing birds, but send you a horrible 

 sketch of my discovery, that you may not die of curiosity. I am 

 told the wet season here is terrible, and it begins in December ; so I 

 shall probably have to leave then," 



The sketch alluded to in the above extract having been placed 

 in Mr, G. R. Gray's hands for examination and comparison with the 

 other known species, the following notes of that gentleman, relative 

 to it, were read to the meeting : — 



" This Paradise-Bird proves, as Mr. Wallace remarks in his letter, 

 to be a new form, differing from all its congeners, approaching most 

 nearly to the King Bird of Paradise ; but in place of the lengthened 

 caudal appendages, it has, sprhiging from the lesser coverts of each 

 whig, two long shafts, both of which are webbed on each side at the 

 apex. It is the possession of these peculiar winged standards that 

 induces me to propose for it the subgeneric appellation oi Semioptera. 



" I have endeavoured to transform the rough sketch into the 

 probable appearance of the living bird ; and I further add the j)ro- 

 visional specific name of Paradisea Wallacii, which appellation I 

 think is justly due to Mr. Wallace for the indefatigable energy he 

 has hitherto shown in the advancement of ornithological and ento- 

 mological knowledge, by visiting localities rarely if ever travelled by 

 naturalists, 



" I wait for the arrival of the specimens before venturing to give 

 more detailed accounts of its subgeneric characters, or a full de- 

 scription of its coloration, &c., which I hope to have the pleasure 

 of laying before the members at some future meeting of the Socictv." 



