THE 
AMERICAN NATURALIST 
VOL AXIX. January, 1895. 337 
BIRDS OF NEW GUINEA. 
By Gero. S. MEAD. | 
(Continued from Vol. XXVIII, p. 920.) 
The Magnificent bird of paradise—Diphyllodes magnifica or 
speciosa, is as appropriately named as any of the Paradisea, 
since the qualifying adjectives are scarcely more than mere 
epithets, with nothing specially discriptive or distinctive about 
them. In the Magnificent we find an adornment not unlike 
that which beautifies the Superb, viz. a mantle or fringe of 
bright yellow feathers over an inch long, rising from the back — 
of the neck. The bird is still further characterized by the 
long filaments noted in the Red and other members of the 
family. These feathers in the Magnificent curve into a double 
circle, differing, therefore, in shape from those of his cousins.. 
A darker yellow than the mantle appears on the body above; 
this colour of course lights up or deepens with the play of light 
upon it, just as does also “the rich green flushed with purple” 
of the parts underneath, so that when the full, expanded plum- 
age is displayed, the radiant little creature will be seen to pos- 
sess every claim to his title. The under or secondary mantle, 
whence the generic name, rich and warm in color, sets off still 
more the novel charms of the bird. In size he is one of the 
smallest of his race, being but little larger than the King. 
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