lys 



THE TWELVE-THEEAD EPIMACHUS. 





feUPERB ILUMii hl.^D.-Ljfumchvs mo 



being very short on one side, and very 

 long on the other. These feathers are of 

 the colour of polished steel, changing 

 into blue, terminated by a large spot of 

 brilliant green, and forming a species of tuft 

 or appendage at the margin of the wings. 

 Below the wings spring long curved fea- 

 thers, directed upwards ; these are black 

 on the inside, and brilliant green on the 

 outside. The bill and feet are black." 



The same author, in referring to the 

 brilliant metallic hues of this and other 

 birds, takes occasion to notice the iri- 

 descent effect which is produced by the 

 different angle at which light falls on the 

 feathers. The emerald green, for instance, 

 will often fling out rays of its two consti- 

 tuent primary colours, at one time being 

 blue-green, at another gold-green, while 

 in certain lights all colour vanishes, and 

 a velvet-black is presented to the eye. 

 The ruby feathers of several birds be- 

 come orange under certain lights, and 

 darken to a crimson-black at other times. 

 This change of hue is analogous to the 

 well-known iridescent changeableness of 

 the nacre which lines various shells, and 

 is owing to the structure of its surface 

 refracting the light in different rays ac- 

 cording to the angle at which it falls 

 upon the feathers. 



The adult male Twelve-theead 

 Plume Bied presents so strong a resem- 

 blance to the birds of paradise that it 

 might easily be mistaken for one of those 

 gorgeous creatures, than which, indeed, it 

 is scarcely less splendid. Not only does 

 its plumage glow with all the resplen- 

 dency of brilliant emerald-green and 

 velvety violet-black, but the bird is also 

 provided with a number of long thread- 

 like plumes, which are very similar to 

 those of the paradise birds. Like the 

 preceding species, it is a native of New 

 Guinea, and is, if possible, even a more 

 beautiful creature ; the white floating 

 plumes compensating for the absence of 

 the extremely lengtliened tail. 



The general colour of the Twelve- 

 thread Plume Bird is rich violet, so in- 

 tense as to become black in some lights, 

 and having always a velvet-like depth of 

 tone. Around the neck is placed a collar 

 of glowing emerald-green feathers, which 

 stand boldly from the neck, and present 

 a most brilliant contrast with the deep 



