352 jNIr. Walter Rotlisclnld o/i 



shews no important difiereuces, I I'egai'd it as only sub- 

 si)ecifically distinct. If^ on the other hand, a form, however 

 closely allied to another, occnrs in the same geographical 

 area with it, I consider it a distinct species. In the case of 

 Paradlsea apoda and its allies I may be accused of incon- 

 sistency in not also treating P. vdnor and P. decora as 

 subspecies, but I consider that I am right for the following- 

 reasons : while P. apoda, P. novce yuinece, P. raggiana, 

 P. intermedia, P. granti, and P. angiistce-victurice replace 

 one another absolutely geographically, have the same 

 structure, and intergradatc completely in colour, P. ininor 

 occurs in the same geographical area as P. avgustcE-victoria', 

 and. the ornamental flank-plumes have a different structure, 

 the barbules being wider and closer together, so that the 

 feathers are less disintegrated and silkier in appearance. 

 As regards P. decora, it is true that it has a separate geo- 

 graphical area, but the ornamental flank-plumes are totally 

 difterent in structure and the female is so difterent that its 

 specific distinctness is incontestable. All the other forms 

 in various genera which I have placed as subspecies replace 

 one another geogra})hically and do not present structural 

 differences. 



In my " Paradiseidce'^ in the 'Tierrcich' I united all the 

 forms of Diphyllodes, with the exception of D. guliehni-tertii, 

 as one very variable species. I have since got more material 

 and, after a careful examination, have come to the con- 

 clusion that Diphyllodes magiiiJiCKS should be separated into 

 three subspecies as follows : — 



Diphyllodes magnificus magnificus (Penn.). 



Inner secondaries clay-colour. — Arfak Peninsula. 



Diphyllodes magtiificus chrysopterus Gould. 



Inner secondaries orange, head greyish brown. — Jobi 

 Island and the opposite coast_, east of Geelvink 

 Bay. 



Diphyllodes magnificus hunsteini Finsch & Meyer. 



Inner secondaries orange, head rufous. — German and 

 British New Guinea. 



