1895.] Birds of New Guinea. 3 
` splendor of vivid colours amid their native haunts. Here the 
foliaceous snow-white plumes waving in the wind, the buoyant 
pinions dark of hue, the brown-golden plush of the body, the 
violet and purple breast, the dazzling yellow of neck and head, 
the changing metallic green of the throat all form a picture 
that once seen is never forgotten. Of reduced size and of some- 
what paler colors, but in other respects almost the counterpart 
of the Apoda—or Great, Common, Emerald, as it is variously 
called, is the Lesser bird of paradise—Paradisea minor or 
papuana. These two species stand in about the same relation 
to each another as the hairy and downy woodpeckers of our 
forests. 
In his first visit to New Guinea in 1871, D’Albertis killed the 
male of a bird which i . eyenen a in his interesting work “new 
genus and new species.” Mr. Sclater denominated it Drepan- 
ornis albertisu. It certainly is very different in appearance, 
especially in the form of the beak, as D’Albertis points out, 
from other species of birds of paradise. “The beak resembles 
that of the hoope,” being long and curved. The plumage lacks 
the velvet-like texture of other species, but is downy, while the 
head, although crested with curious protuberances of small 
feathers gleaming green and copper in certain lights, is not 
similar in shape. Nor can it be placed on an equality with its 
fellows in that beauty and arrangement of plumage we think 
of as typical of birds of paradise. And yet its claims are not 
to be slighted ; its rich umber coat shines with lustre ; tufts of 
feathers, beautifully tinted and so long as to almost enfold the 
body, spring from the breast and sides, and the dividing 
colors seem to stand out, so vivid and distinct are they. 
Whether open or shut the two semicircular feather-fans or 
shoulder-crests gleam in the light like a humming-bird’s array ; 
the same may be said of the throat and breast. Purple, violet, 
yellow, brown and gold, are some of the hues that chase each 
another over the scft plumage. The under parts from the 
breast to the rounded tail which is unadorned with loose 
plumes or elongations, are white; a roseate tinge may be seen 
on the spurious wings, while greyish and olive reflections ap- _ 
pear on the edgings of both the wng and short feathers, Bd : 
