APPENDIX A 267 



FAM I LY COR VID.E — CROWS. 



Though the true Crows are never brightly coloured 

 birds, manj/ are extremely handsome, but this epithet 

 cannot be applied to the Bare-faced Crow (Gymnocorax ' 

 senex) which is common on the Mimika River and 

 distributed over New Guinea generally. 



The adult is brownish-black with a slight purplish 

 or bluish gloss on the wings, but is generally in worn 

 and shabby plumage. Even when freshly moulted it 

 is rather a disreputable looking bird, its naked pink 

 face, pale watery blue eyes, slate-coloured bill and livid 

 feet adding to its dissipated appearance. Young birds 

 in their first year's plumage are even plainer than their 

 parents, being dull drab -brown inclining to brownish- 

 white on the head and neck, and appear to be clad 

 in sackcloth and ashes. They have a weak uncrow-like 

 call pitched in a high key and their flight is feeble and 

 seldom sustained. 



In addition to this Crow of unprepossessing appear- 

 ance, there is a handsome Raven (Corvus orru), much 

 Hke our familiar bird but smaller, which was met with 

 in pairs on the coast. 



FAMILY PARADISEIDJL — BIRDS-OF-PARADISE AND 

 BOWER-BIRDS. 



Closely allied to the well-known Greater Bird-of- 

 Paradise [Paradisea apoda) from the Aru Islands is the 

 New Guinea form P. novce-guinece, the males being 

 distinguished by their smaller size and by having the 

 long ornamental side-plumes of a much richer orange- 

 yellow. Though the call of this bird was frequently 

 heard on the upper parts of the Mimika, it was rarely 

 seen ; but on the Wataikwa quite a number were 

 procured in all stages of plumage. The species was, 

 however, nowhere plentiful and confined to the foot-hills. 



