426 STUDIES, SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL chap. 



abundant in the mountains of the north-western peninsula, 

 where the Italian and German naturalists already referred 

 to obtained fine specimens of all the known kinds. In the 

 south-east a new species has been discovered, but only two 

 or three sorts are found there near the coast ; and as they 

 are also in little variety in the lowland districts of the 

 north-west, it becomes pretty certain that they are more 

 especially mountain birds. We may therefore confidently 

 expect that, Avhen the great ranges of the interior are 

 visited and explored by naturalists, other and perhaps 

 still more wonderful species will be discovered. It is in- 

 teresting to note that, with the exception of one very 

 peculiar species discovered by myself in the Moluccas, all 

 the Birds of Paradise are found within the hundred fathom 

 line around New Guinea, and therefore on lands which 

 have probably been connected with it at a comparatively 

 recent period. 



Since the preceding account was first published, collec- 

 tors in south-eastern New Guinea, both German and British, 

 have discovered a considerable number of new species of 

 these birds in the mountainous interior. The majority of 

 these are more or less closely allied to the types already 

 known, though sometimes more richly coloured or with a 

 greater development of plumage. Such are several new 

 species of the genus Paradisea or true Birds of Paradise, 

 and the fine new six-shafted Bird of Paradise {Parotia 

 Carolcc). This last is from the mountains of German 

 New Guinea, and is distinguished by the brilliant bands 

 on the back of the head, which are of iridescent violet, 

 blue and green, while the crown is deep orange. Broad 

 curved bands of silvery white over the eyes meet at the 

 base of the beak. The scaly metallic feathers of the 

 breast are rosy-violet and green, while the great tufts of 

 side-plumes are pure white in the upper portion, bright 

 chestnut in the middle, shading to nearly black in the 

 lowest portion. The photograph (Fig. 63) is taken from 

 a coloured plate which illustrates the description by Dr. 

 A. B. Meyer, of the Dresden Royal Museum. The old 

 species, of which this is a more brilliant form, was 

 described by Buffon more than a century ago, and is 



