CH. XXXVIII.] THE MAGNIFICENT. 403 



is tolerably plentiful in the Am Islands, which led to its 

 being brought to Europe at an early period along with 

 Paradisea apoda. It also occurs in the island of Mysol, 

 and in every part of New Guinea which has been visited 

 by naturalists. 



We now come to the remarkable little bird called the 

 " Magnificent," first figured by Buffon, and named Para- 

 disea speciosa by Boddaert, which, with one allied species, 

 lias been formed into a separate genus by Prince Buona- 

 parte, under the name of DiphyUodes, from the curious 

 double mantle which clothes the back. 



The head is covered with short brown velvety feathers, 

 which advance on the back so as to cover the nostrils. 

 From the nape springs a dense mass of feathers of a straw- 

 yellow colour, and about one and a half inches long, form- 

 ing a mantle over the upper part of the back. Beneath 

 this, and forming a band about one-third of an inch be- 

 yond it, is a second mantle of rich, glossy, reddish-brown 

 feathers. The rest of the back is orange-brown, the tail- 

 coverts and tail dark bronzy, the wings light orange-buff. 

 The whole under surface is covered with an abundance of 

 plumage springing from the margins of the breast, and 

 of a rich deep green colour, with changeable hues of 

 purple. Down the middle of the breast is a broad band 

 of scaly plumes of the same colour, while the chin and 



. DD 2 



