654 DR. F. H. H. GUILLEMARD ON BIRDS COLLECTED [JuUC 16, 



time the web of the feather becomes eroded. It still remains webbed 

 at the base, however, and generally carries a spatula for some time. 

 Indeed, this S[)atula may sometimes be seen in the full, or nearly 

 full, plumaged bird. In the process of elongation the shaft becomes 

 thin and widened, though still remaining of a brown colour ; and 

 although Salvadori doubts whether the curious quill-like plumes of 

 the full plumage are assumed without moult, an individual of the 

 present series shows that this is the case, and that the result is 

 produced by the gradual incurving of the already flattened shaft. 

 The last stage is in the appearance of the red subalar plumes, frOm 

 which the bird derives its specific name. 



I have noticed that the females and quite young males seem alike 

 to have the two median rectrices somewhat narrow and rather 

 shorter than the others, and that the prolongation of these is not 

 invariably a change of the earliest period. 



The Batanta birds appear to have the yellow less bright. There 

 is less of it on the back, and it merges into the black of the forehead 

 without the distinct line over the vertex as in the others. 



161. DiPHYLLODES MAGNIFICA (Pcnn.). 



Diphyllodes magnifica, Salvado op. cit. vol. ii. p. 634. 



a-c. (S . Salwatti ? (Bruijn). 



d. S • Salwatti. 



Iris brown ; bill greyish blue ; feet bright blue. Length about 

 22-0 centims., wing 11-3. This bird is known to the hiraters of the 

 Rajah Ampat as Bila rotan, Malay for "cut rattan" — from the ap- 

 pearance of the yellow mantle, which is certainly not unlike a sloping 

 section of a large rattan. 



I cannot help regarding this species as decidedly rare, for in spite 

 of the large collections we obtained in Mysol, Salwatti, and the 

 Arfak, not one single example of this species was shot either by 

 ourselves or our own hunters. 



162. Diphyllodes chrysoptera, Gould, 

 Diphyllodes chrysoptera, Salvad. op. cit. vol. ii. p. 641. 

 a. (S . Ansus, Jobi {Bruijn). 



h. 5 . Ansus {Bruijn). 



Mr. Laglaize informed me that the iris of the male is yellowish. 

 The bill and feet are as in D. maynifica. 



We were unable to obtain this species during our visit to Jobi, 

 and it seems to be far from common on that island. I have seen 

 skius intermediate between this and the last species from the eastern 

 side of Geelvink Bay ; and I feel certain that a series from this 

 locality and Jobi would show that the two so-called species are in 

 reality not separable. 



163. Diphyllodes wiLsoNi (Cass.). 

 Schlegelia respublica, Salvad. op. cit. vol. ii. p. 642. 

 a-d. (S . Marchesa Bay, Batanta. 



e-ff. $ . Marchesa Bay. 



