276 THE ANIMALS OF NEW GUINEA 



abound in the Papuan area, Perameles moresbyensis, P. broadbenti, P. raffrayana, 

 and P. cockerelli, with at least three others, being from New Guinea, although 

 the range of the last-named includes New Britain. Some writers divide bandi- 

 coots into several genera, and a small species from Dutch New Guinea has been 

 described as Suillomeles hispida. The Australian native cats, or dasyures, have 

 two Papuan representatives in the New Guinea Dasyv/rus albopunctatus and D. 

 dcsmonellus, and there are several pouched mice, such as Phascologale melas, 

 and five or six other species from New Guinea. 



Although the platypus is unknown, spiny anteaters are more 

 strongly represented in New Guinea than Australia, for in addition to 

 the Port Moresby race of the Australian species (Echidna, or Tachylossus, aculeata 

 lawesi) an entirely different type is represented by Proechidna, or Zaglossus, bruijni, 

 and by allied races or species (P. bartoni and P. nigro-aculeata). These differ from 

 the typical genus by the greater length and the marked downward curvature of 

 the beak, as well as by having only four front-claws, instead of five. A living 

 specimen of one of these long-beaked echidnas recently exhibited at Amsterdam 

 showed that the pose of the body and limbs is quite different to the one given in 

 pictures and mounted specimens. In these the animal is represented with the belly 

 resting on the ground, and the claws of the hind-legs extended backwards like 

 those of a lizard. In reality, it stands up on its legs in elephant-fashion, with the 

 hind-claws directed outwards and slightly forwards, this being a remarkable 

 attitude for a burrowing animal. Unlike the ordinary echidna, which refuses to 

 touch them, the long-beaked species exhibit a marked partiality to earth-worms. 

 Birds-of- Despite a general resemblance between the birds of the Papuan 



Paradise. province and those of the Austro-Malay islands, yet there are a 

 number of types peculiar to the former area, which may be regarded as the real 

 home of the birds-of-paradise (Paradiseidce). As mentioned in the preceding- 

 chapter, this group of gorgeously coloured and eccentrically decorated birds is 

 specially characterised by the development in the males of ornamental plumes of 

 varied and bizarre types on different parts of the body, as well as by the generally 

 velvety character and shortness of the feathers on the neck. All the members 

 of this goigeous group of birds display a strangely restless disposition ; they keep, 

 as a rule, to the tops of tall forest trees, and the females lay two eggs in a clutch, 

 which in their marking recall those of the rail group. The typical birds-of- 

 paradise, or those included in the genus Pa,7-adisea, are characterised by their 

 short and slightly curved crow-like beak. Among the numerous Papuan species, 

 the manukodia (P. chalybea) of north-western New Guinea is about the size of a 

 jackdaw, and specially distinguished by the curling feathers of the head and neck. 

 In colour it is mainly black, but the plumage of the head and neck displays an 

 exquisite green gloss, the feathers of the body being violet in colour and less 

 glossy. The typical or great bird-of-paradise (P. apoda) of the Aru Islands is not 

 only the largest member of the whole family, but surpasses all the rest in the 

 magnificence of the plumage of the cocks, which is too well known to need 

 description, even if adequate description were possible, The lesser paradise-bird 

 (P. minor) of the island of Mysol is somewhat smaller, but otherwise very 

 similar, as is also the red P. sanguinea, a small species restricted to the small 



