344 Recent Ornithological Publications. 



difference is in the heads of the two figures, that of D. wilsoni 

 being clothed with black feathers, while in Schlegelia calva, as the 

 name implies, it is bare, and of a bright cobalt-blue. We beg 

 leave to suggest to Mr. Cassin that the Philadelphian specimen 

 should be closely examined ; for, being a skin of " native " pre- 

 paration, it seems to us possible that the head of some other 

 species might have been substituted instead of its own (which, 

 when dry, and its brilliant colour faded, would doubtless not 

 have presented a very sightly aspect), in the hope of improving 

 the appearance of the specimen, and thus bettering its sale. 

 Should this not be the case, and the Malays stand acquitted on 

 the capital charge, we must conclude that the loss of the head- 

 feathers is either seasonal or else the last stage undergone in the 

 bird's progress to maturity ; for the rest of the splendid plumage 

 appears equally perfect in both figures. At any rate, however, 

 to Dr. Bernstein is due the discovery of the proper habitat, and 

 of the female, of this very beautiful Bird of Paradise. 



In the same paper. Dr. Bernstein gives descriptions of four 

 other new species, three from Waigiou, to wit, Arachnothera 

 vagans, Zosterops fusca, and Corvus megarhynchus, and the 

 fourth, Ptilopus ochrogaster from Batchian. 



Professor Schlegel has also an important notice (pp. 155-157) 

 respecting Astur macrurus. This species was established by 

 Temminck on a single example in immature plumage killed by 

 Heer H. Pel on the Gold Coast, and now at Leyden. The spe- 

 cimen was described by Dr. Hartlaub (Orn. W. Afr. p. 11) and 

 also by Professor Schlegel (Mus. des Pays-Bas, Astures, p. 25), 

 and bears a ticket marked "male^^ by Temminck himself. 

 Lately another specimen, smaller than this, and apparently more 

 adult in its plumage, has been received at Leyden from Heer 

 Nagtglas, formerly Governor of the Dutch possessions on the 

 coast of Guinea. This last Professor Schlegel now considers 

 to be the true male of the species, and the example which 

 served as Temminck's type to be the female. From the de- 

 scriptions of the two birds, and their measurements as giveUj 

 we have little doubt that this opinion is correct. 



