1885.] DURING THE VOYAGE OF THE YACHT ' MARCHESA. 651 



body. He then gives it a sudden snap with the beak, throws it up 

 in the air, catches it lengthwise, and it is out of sight in an instant. 

 In this operation he displays to advantage the lovely colouring of 

 the inside of the mouth and throat. The only note he has as yet 

 uttered in confinement is a single unmelodious croak." 



From the above series and from some native-prepared skins in my 

 possession, the change to adult plumage seems to be thus acquired. 

 The head first assumes its black plumes, with darkening of the 

 feathers, from within outwards, on the neck ; the shield appearing 

 gradually meanwhile. The neck now gets darker, and the wing- 

 feathers begin to be tinged with violet, apparently commencing with 

 the secondaries. As yet the lower breast and abdomen have 

 remained unchanged, except that on the flanks the feathers are more 

 plumose. In the next stage the upper parts, head, neck, and breast are 

 complete, the wings tolerably so, while the tail is tinged with violet. 

 The subalar plumes have appeared, but are short, of a dull buff, and 

 barred with brown, though the wires are almost as long as in the 

 adult, but are black with pale tips. The breast is still almost 

 unchanged, except that it is somewhat yellower. The final change 

 that appears to take place is the assumption of the yellow on the 

 breast and plumes, and the deep violet-black tail. 



The native name for this bird in Salwatti and the Rajah ampat 

 generally is " Palengo." 



158. Paradisea minor, Shaw. 



Paradisea minor, Salvad. op. cit. vol. ii. p. 577. 



a-z. S . Near Ansus, Jobi. 



a'-p. Jr. S • Near Ansus. 



q' . Sex. incert. Near Ansus. 



r'-b". S- Dorei Bay. 



e"-e." Jr. Mysol. 



Iris lemon-yellow, with a tinge of green. This green shade is 

 sufficiently well marked during life, but fades immediately after 

 death, when the iris appears yellow. Feet and tarsus bluish slate ; 

 bill almost lavender. Length of adult Jobi males, without the central 

 tail-feathers, 36-7-41-2 centims. ; wing 19-2-20'9. 



The above birds, which are only a part of the whole series 

 collected during the voyage of the ' Marchesa,' demonstrate well the 

 gradual change from immature to adult plumage. 



The young birds in first plumage exactly resemble the females, 

 but in a short time the purity of the white on the imder surface and 

 a marked increase in size render apparent the difference in sex. The 

 yellow of the scapulars becomes more marked, and the green of the 

 throat and yellow of the head begin to appear simultaneously. This 

 green is assumed by the gradual tipping of each feather with that 

 colour (in the adult the apex only of each feather is green), while 

 on the head the brown feathers gradually become yellow from 

 beneath. The plumage of the head and throat having become 

 complete, the two median rectrices begin to elongate, and the lower 

 part of the throat becomes tinged with chestnut. At a further stage 



