Jan. 13, 1888.] 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



35 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



BIRDS OF PARADISE. 

 Wilson's Bird of Paradise {Diphyllodes Wilsoni), shown 

 in Fig. I, is the smallest of all the birds of paradise. 



breast is covered by a shield of glossy green plumes, 

 which toward the throat are marked with metallic 

 green-violets pots of extraordinary brilliancy. The 

 two centre feathers of the tail, prolonged for five or 

 six inches beyond the others, cross each other, and are 

 curved into a complete circle of bright steely purple. 



Wilson's Bird of Paradise [Diphyllodes Wilsoni). 



Behind the head a ruff of canary-coloured feathers I But the chief peculiarity of the bird is in the head, which 

 stands erect above the scarlet back and wings. The | is bald from the vertex backward, the bare skin being of 



Six-PLUJiED Bird of Paradise {Parotia Sexpennis). 



