192 PARADISE BIRD. 



9— FURCATED PARADISE BIRD. 



Paradises furcata, Ind. Orn. i. 196. 



Superb Paradise Bird, Gen. Syn.W. 480. sect. 2. 



IN the Museum of the late Sir Ash ton Lever was an imperfect 

 bird, from which only the few following particulars could be 

 collected: it was the size of the last mentioned. Bill black; general 

 colour of the plumage the same; from the place of the wings arise 

 two tufts, somewhat as in the last described, but the wings were 

 wanting; on the upper part of the belly a set of most brilliant 

 black-green, glossy feathers, in shape forked, not unlike the tail of 

 the Swallow, longer than those surrounding them, and standing out a 

 little from the rest ; legs strong, and black. 



From this slight sketch, it can scarcely be determined, whether it 

 may be a Variety, or sexual different of the last; the Furcated, 

 however, differs in having the whole of the head and neck black. 

 In the PI. enlum. it may be observed, that the brilliant gold-green 

 feathers, which there appear to lie flat, with one point towards each 

 thigh, if elevated in preparing the skin for preservation, would 

 appear like that figured by Levaillant; but how far these aie erected 

 in the living state, and what purpose they may answer, is not easily 

 determined. The two tufts abovementioned in the last-named author's 

 figure of the bird, appear as two immense wings, of double the size 

 of the true wings, and elevated to a considerable extent above the 

 head, spreading out on each side ; but whether the bird has the 

 faculty of doing this, or for what purpose, is not for us to determine. 

 This and the Superb are probably only one Species ; but it does not 

 appear, from what we are able to collect, that the feathers of the belly 

 in the former, although of a most splendid bright green, are 

 divisible into the elevated wing-like appearance abovementioned. 



