560 MR. SCLATER ON BIRDS FROM NEW GUINEA. [June 17, 



procure this single female. It is usually found in low scrubs, runs 

 with great rapidity, and conceals itself rapidly. When running, the 

 tail is carried erect, and spread out like a fan ; and the note it utters 

 resembles that of the Goura Pigeon (Goura coronatd). It feeds on 

 small roots of plants and land shells. 



The new form of Paradise-bird was then characterized by Mr. 

 Sclater as follows : — 



Drepanornis *, gen. nov. 



Rostro tenui, valde compresso, arcuato, plus quam duplo longiore 

 quam caput : mandibida superiore longiore : fronte media, 

 oculorum ambitu et capitis lateribus denudatis ; pectore fascia 

 duplici plumarum magna, utrinque ornato : cauda modice elon- 

 gata, rotundata. 



Sp. typica et unica D. albertisi. (Plate XLVII.) 



Mas supra brunneus; alts intus obscuris, extusdorso concoloribus, 

 secundariis vegetioribus, cauda tota cum uropygio pallide 

 castanea : pilei plumis brevibus, squamosis ; loris velutino- 

 nigris, supra oculos aneis, et in fasciculum cupreo-purpureum 

 utrinque exsurgentibus : subtus obscure griseus, purpureo 

 lavatus : gutture toto plumulis squamosis velutino-ceneis cupreo 

 splendentibus obsito: fasciculis plumarum pectoralibus utrinque 

 duobus, densis, elongatis, altero superiore, extus colore pectoris, 

 sed cupreo nitidissimo intus ornato ; altero inferiore, purpureo 

 lavato et cceruleo nitidissimo terminato : vitta infrapectorali 

 angusta splendide viridi : ventre medio crissoque albis : alis 

 elongatis, remigibus quinto et sexto cequalibus et Jongissimis : 

 rectricibus gradatis, mediis externas uno pollice excedentibus : 

 tarsorum squamis fere obsoletis : rostro nigro : iride castanea : 

 pedibus saturate plumbeis : long, tota 13, alee 6, caudce rectr. 

 med. 5*5, ext. 4*4 ; rostri a rictu linea direct. 3, curvati a 

 fronte 3 - 3 poll. Angl. 



Femina supra brunnea, cauda omnino pallide castanea : subtus 

 dilutior, nigro frequenter transfasciata, ventre medio et crisso 

 immaculatis, ochraceo-rufescentibus : gutture obscuro creber- 

 rime punctato. 



Hab. Papua borealis ad alt. 3000 ped. loco Atam dicto. 



Obs. Forma Epimacho maximo forsan proxima, sed rostro elongato 

 arcuato et cauda breviore rotundato distinguenda. 



The remaining new birds in this remarkable collection Mr. Sclater 

 proposed to describe at the next scientific meeting of the Society. 



The following papers were read : — 



* tipenavr), falx, et opvis, avis. The term originally suggested was Drepane- 

 phorus ; but thi9 has been changed to Drepanornis (cf. Nature, July 3, 1873, 

 p. 192) in consequence of the former having been recently used by Sir Philip 

 Egerton for a genus of fossil fishes. — P. L. S. 



