DIPHYLLODES RESPUBLICA. 



WILSON'S BIRD OF PARADISE. 



LOPHORINA RESPUBLICA, Bonap. Compt. Rend. (1850) p. 131.— Id. Consp. Gen. Av. p. 413. 



PARADISEA WILSONI, Cass. Journ. Acad. Nat. Scien. Phil. (1850) vol. ii. pi. 15.— Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1861) p. 436— Sclat. Proc. Zool. 



Soc. (1865) p. 465— Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas (1867), p. 87.— Id. Tijdsch. Dierk. part ii. p. 249. 

 SCHLEGELIA CALVA, Bernst. Nederl. Tijds. Dierk. (1864) part. i. pi. 7. 



DIPHYLLODES RESPUBLICA, Sclat. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1857) p. 6.— Von Rosenb. Journ. fur Ornith. (1864) p. 130. 

 DIPHYLLODES WILSONI, Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p. 160— Newton, Ibis (1865), p. 343 — Wall. Malay Archip. vol. ii. p. 248. 



Hab. Waigiou and Batanta (Schlegel). 



This species was first described by Bonaparte in February 1850, who gave to it the name of respublica, 

 dedicating it to the Great Republic on the western shores of the Atlantic, thus antedating Mr. Cassin, who 

 also described it in August of the same year from a rather imperfect specimen in the Academy of Sciences of 

 Philadelphia, calling it after Mr. Edward Wilson, who had done so much towards rendering the ornithological 

 collection in the Academy one of the finest in existence. For a long time it was one of the rarest of this 

 family, and its habitat supposed to be New Guinea ; but Bernstein obtained many specimens in the islands of 

 Waigiou and Batanta, which were sent to Leyden, and lately others have arrived in London from the same 

 localities. I am not aware that it has yet been found upon the mainland of New Guinea, where, however, it is not 

 unlikely to occur. Although nearest allied to the J), speciosa, the present species has one remarkable difference in 

 its nearly bare head, crossed by narrow lines of short velvety feathers, both sexes being alike in this peculiarity. 

 The bare portion is deep blue. It also varies in having the second mantle behind and beneath the straw one deep 

 red. Bernstein, who probably has seen more of these beautiful creatures in the flesh than any other European, 

 speaks of it as follows in the Tijdschrift voor de Dierkunde : — 



"This bird is distinguished from the other known species of the family of the Paradise-birds by having a great 

 part of the top of the head and occiput naked. I believe that I am authorized to regard it as representing a new 

 genus in the science. The genus with which it is connected by the presence of two middle rectrices lengthened 

 and curved in spiral, is the Diphjllodes of Lesson, by the side of which it should be placed. This bird is found in 

 the island of Waigiou ; but it there inhabits the districts situated more or less near the interior, and is there much 

 more rare than the Paradisea rubra, which is met with quite through the neighbouring island of Ghemien." 



The genus proposed by Bernstein was Schlegelia, after Professor Schlegel, of Leyden. I have not adopted it in 

 this work, as it does not appear to me that the partially bare head, in the absence of any other distinctive 

 characters, is sufficient to constitute a generic separation from D. speciosa, which in many ways the present 

 species resembles. 



Male. — Head bare, blue shading off to green along the edges of the exposed skin, and crossed twice by narrow 

 hnes of short brownish feathers. A nuchal yellow crest, similar to that of B. speciosa, springs from the nape of the 

 neck. Mantle crimson, edges of the outer feathers bordered with black. Back brown as are also the tail-feathers. 

 Wings brown, primaries, secondaries, and tertials edged with crimson, the two latter quite broadly. Underparts rich 

 green, appearing black on the chin; lower part of abdomen brownish black. On the neck and breast appear spots 

 of a more brilliant green than the general colour, of a metallic lustre. Two feathers spring from the base of the 

 tail above, project beyond it, and curve back towards the body in circles about an inch in diameter, steel-blue 

 in colour. BiU black. Feet and tarsi leaden blue. 



Female. — Head bare as in the male, of the same colour, and crossed by similar brown hnes of feathers. Upper 

 parts and tail rufous brown. Underparts yellowish white, barred narrowly with blackish brown. Bill, feet, and tarsi 

 of the same colour as in the male. 



