364 Egg of the Greater Bird-of- Paradise.


EGG OF THE GREATER BIRD-OF-PARADISE.

By Coujngwood Ingram, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U.


During his visit to the Aru Islands in quest of living

Birds-of- Paradise, my father's collector, Mr. Charles Pratt, was

fortunate enough to procure an egg of Paradisea apoda, which

the natives brought to him about December of last year.

Although identification was not absolute, there is no reason to

discredit the word of the natives, who positively asserted that

the egg in question belonged to the Greater Bird-of- Paradise.

As evidence that this tropical species has no regular breeding

season, it may be mentioned that an immature bird, perhaps two

months old, was brought to the collector about the same time.

The nest itself is apparently held in reverence by the natives and

the offering of a comparatively large reward failed to secure


one.


While the egg was being blown it was accideutly damaged


and it is now impossible to give its exact dimensions, but as

near as can be judged these are shown in the accompanying

illustration, the measurements being roughly 16 in. by i*iin.

The ground-colour is cream, while the bold splash-like streaks

radiating from the greater pole, are lavender grey and Vandyke

brown. The latter predominate and are the over-lying marks ;

these also occur in the form of smaller streaks and spots on

other parts of the shell.


Together with these notes I give a rough pencil sketch of

a female P. apoda, the first to reach Europe alive. Of course

there is no certain means of ascertaining its sex but there is

every indication that this bird is fully adult and therefore a female.

This statement is further corroborated by the natives who told

Mr. Pratt that, to experienced e}'es the two sexes were at all

times distinguishable from one another owing to their slightly

different build. On the other hand the possibility of a mistake

suggests itself on account of the peculiar habits of this bird.

With the same cries it also goes through similar dancing displays

to those indulged in by the full-plumaged male. Readers of the

Aviculiural Magazine may expect to hear more about this and

other females as I believe my father shortly intends to write a

paper dealing with this subject.



