THE SUPERB EPIMACHU8. 



145 



Until some method has been discovered by which these naked parts can be restored to 

 their original shape and brilliancy, they will always present that repulsive shrivelled appear- 

 ance which is too familiar to all who have compared a stuffed skin with the living, or even 



with the dead 

 "V ^-^ - ^ ■ ■"• creature before 



decay has fairly 

 set in. Mr. Wa- 

 terton's method 

 is the best that 

 has as yet been 

 put forward, 

 but it is too 

 tedious to be of 

 much service 

 even in the 

 closet, and in 

 the field or for- 

 est would occu- 

 py so much time 

 that the collec- 

 tor would find 

 his days taken 

 up with the 

 never - ending 

 labor of preserving the skin, and could give no time to 

 the observation of habits, or the procuring of specimens. 

 Perhaps some mode of injection might be discovered 

 which would answer the purpoSe of j)reserving the form 

 and color of these appendages, as well as it serves the 

 purj)ose of the anatomist in preserving the form and 

 color of the veins and arteries, and wliich would not 

 require any cumbrous apparatus beyond the usual outfit 

 of a hunter-naturalist. 



To proceed with the description of the Neomorpha. 

 The tail is of the same deep black-green as the rest of 

 the body, but the uniform monotony of the tint is pleas- 

 ingly inteiTupted by a broad band of j^ure white which 

 is drawTi round its edges. The bill is of a rather dark- 

 brown color, and is rather lighter towards the extremity 

 than at the base. This bird is a native of New Zealand. 



PLUME 



We now come to the true Plume Birds, which have 

 been placed in various positions by the different zoolo- 

 gists who have written upon this subject ; some classing 

 them with the bird of paradise, to which they certainly 

 bear a great external resemblance, both on account of 

 the luxuriancy and the peculiar brilliant hues of the 

 plumage, while others have considered them as nearer 



allied to the honey-suckers, and have, in consequence, placed them in close proximity to those 



beautiful birds. 



The Superb Epimachus is a native of New Guinea, and is one of the most lovely creatures 



Vol. n.— 19. 







