CH. xxxviii.] THE SUPERB. 407 



metallic green and blue. Over its breast it bears a shield 

 formed of narrow and rather stiff feathers, much elongated 

 towards the sides, of a pure bluish-green colour, and with 

 a satiny gloss. But a still more extraordinary ornament 

 is that which springs from the back of the neck, — a shield 

 of a similar form to that on the breast, but much larger, 

 and of a velvety black colour, glossed with bronze and 

 purple. The outermost feathers of this shield are half 

 an inch longer than the wing, and when it is elevated 

 it must, in conjunction with the breast shield, completely 

 change the form and whole appearance of the bird. The 

 bill is black, and the feet appear to be yellow. 



This wonderful little bird inhabits the interior of the 

 northern peninsula of New Guinea only. Neither I nor 

 Mr. Allen could hear anything of it in any of the islands 

 or on any part of the coast. It is true that it was obtained 

 from the coast-natives by Lesson ; but when at Sorong in 

 1861, Mr. Allen learnt that it is only found three days' 

 journey in the interior. Owing to these " Black Birds of 

 Paradise," as they are called, not being so much valued as 

 articles of merchandise, they now seem to be rarely pre- 

 served by the natives, and it thus happened that during 

 several years spent on the coasts of New Guinea and in 

 the Moluccas I was never able to obtain a skin. We are 

 therefore quite ignorant of the habits of this bird, and 

 also of its female, though the latter is no doubt as plain 



