424 THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 



a buttress, of a fig tree, a few feet from the ground. Clutch 2, 

 the eggs are of a uniform lustrous white, 1.4 x 1 inch. 



Family Paradiseidce. 

 Bill without a distinct subterminal notch in the upper 

 mandible. Toes abnormal; outer toe a little shorter than the 

 middle one, longer than the inner toe, hallux very large, as long 

 as or longer than the middle toe. 



Sub-family Epamacliince. 

 Bill elongated and slender, the cubnen longer than the 

 tarsus. 



Genus PtilorJiis. Rifle-birds. 

 Tail not equal in length to the body of the bird. A shield 

 of metallic plumes occupying the throat and fore-neck in the 

 males. The general plumage of the males is velvety-black 

 appearing rich purple in certain lights, with areas of steel-blue 

 and coppery-green; that of the females brown with black bars 

 and white streaks. They frequent the brushes of Northern New 

 South Wales and Queensland. There are three Australian 

 species, and a larger one in New Guinea, and they constitute the 

 most southerly extension of the family of the Birds of Paradise. 

 Words cannot fairty describe the wonderful plumage of the 

 magnificent male birds ; to appreciate the beauty one must watch 

 them amid the luxuriant foliage of the great brush jungle, as 

 they preen their feathers and open and close the wings, the tints 

 and lustre varying with the varying incidence of the light. It 

 will be a disgrace indeed to Australia if these exquisite birds 

 are lost to the continent from lack of efficient protection. 



The Rifle-bird. 



Ptilorhis paradisea. 



Eastern Australia from the Hunter to Moreton Bay, but now sadly 

 reduced in range and numbers. 



The adult male above velvety black, changing to deep fiery-purple 

 when viewed away from the light; crown of head burnished coppery-green; 

 wings black; tail velvety black; the two centre feathers rich shining 

 metallic-green; sides of face, throat and sides of neck black; a burnished 



