THE SUPERB EPIMACHUS. 197 



The same unfortunate result is to be found in every stuffed or dried skin, whenever 

 the skin itself is not concealed by fur, scales, or feathers. It is very much to be reoretted 

 that some plan cannot be discovered for preserving such portions of the creatures in their 

 original form and colour, as in many cases they are extremely important in affbrdino- 

 distinctive marks of species, and in all are so characteristic in their appearance, that their 

 total absence, or any change in their shape and hue, entirely alters the whole aspect of 

 the creature. At present, the only mode of getting over the difficulty is to model the 

 organ in wax, but this is at best but a kind of charlatanry ; and as it depends entirely on 

 the skill of hand and faculty of observation possessed by the individual taxidermist, is 

 not sufficiently reliable to be of much value in a museum. 



Moreover, the greater number of rare and new species are obtained when there are no 

 means of obtaining the wax and other appliances which are needful for this mode of 

 proceeding, and even if it were otherwise, the skins are seldom set up before they reach 

 their final destination, on account of the space which they would occupy, and the great 

 risk of injury they would run. 



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 

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

 or even with the dead creature before decay has fairly set in. Mr. Waterton'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 forest would occupy so much time that the collector 

 would find his days taken up with the never-ending labour 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 preserving 

 the form and coloiir of these appendages, as well as it serves the purpose of the anatomist 

 in preserving the form and colour of the veins and arteries, and which 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 pleasingly 

 interrupted by a broad band of pure white which is drawn round its edges. The bill is 

 of a rather dark-brown colour, and is rather lighter towards the extremity than at the 

 base. This bird is a native of New Zealand. 



We now come to the true Plume Birds, which have been placed in various positions 

 by the different zoologists 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 SuPEEB Epimachus is a native of New Guinea, and is one of the most lovely 

 creatures that inhabit the face of the earth. Although in the size of the body it is by no 

 means large, its plumage is so wonderfully developed, that the bird measures nearly four 

 feet from the point of the bill to the extremity of the tail. 



" To add to the singularity of this bird," says Lesson, whose description is too vivid 

 and life-like to be neglected, "nature has placed above and below its wings feathers 

 of an extraordinary form, and such as one does not see in other birds ; she seems, 

 moreover, to have pleased herself in painting this being, already so singular, with her 

 most brilliant colours. The head, the neck, and the belly are glittering green ; the 

 feathers which cover these parts possess the lustre and softness of velvet to the 

 eye and touch ; the back is changeable violet ; the wings are of the same colour, and 

 appear, according to the lights in which they are held, blue, violet, or deep black ; 

 always, however, imitating velvet. The tail is composed of twelve feathers ; the two 

 middle feathers are the longest, and the lateral feathers gradually dinunish ; it is violet 

 or changeable blue above, and black beneath. The feathers whicli compose it are as 

 wide in proportion as they are long, and shine both above and below with tlic brilliuncy 

 of polished metal. 



Above the wings tlie scapularies are very long and singularly ibrmed ; their points 



