XANTHOMELUS AUREUS. 



GOLDEN BIRD OP PARADISE. 



GOLDEN BIRD OF PARADISE, Edw. Birds, vol. iii. (1760) p. 112.— Lath. Gen. Syn. vol. ii. (1782) p. 483. 



ORIOLUS AUREUS, Linn. Syst. Nat. (1766) vol. i. p. 163. sp. 19— Gray, Hand-1. Birds, pt. i. (1869) p. 293. sp. 4332.— Vieill. Ency! Meth. 

 (1823) t. ii. p. 695. no. 5. 



LE PARADIS ORANGE' Vieill. Ois. dor. (1802) vol. ii. p. 26, pis. 11 & 12. 



PARADISEA AUREA, Lath. Ind. Orn. (1790) vol. ii. p. 195. sp. 11.— Bechst. Kurz. Uebers. (1811) p. 133. sp. 14.— Schleg. Journ. fur Ornith. 

 (1861) p. 386. 



PARADISEA AURANTIA, Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. vii. pt. 1-2 (1809), p. 499, pi. 68. 



LE LORIOT DE PARADIS, Levaill. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Parad. (1806) vol. i. pis. 18, 19. 



LOPHORINA AURANTIA, Shaw, Gen. Zool. (1826) vol. xiv. p. 76. 



XANTHOMELUS AUREUS, Bon. Ann. d. Sc. Nat. Ser. iv. Zool. (1854) p. 122— Id. Compt. Rend, xxxviii. (1854) p. 538. — Elliot, Ibis, (1872) 

 p. 112. 



SERICULUS AURANTIACUS, Less. Trait. Ornith. (1831) p. 339 — Id. Ois. Parad. (1835) Syn. p. 20. sp. 9, & Hist. Nat. p. 201, pis. 25, 25 bis, 

 25 ter. 



SERICULUS AUREUS, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1861) p. 435.— Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas (1867), p. 98.— Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1862) p. 160.— 

 Id. Ibis, (1861) p. 287.— Id. Malay Archip. vol. ii. pp. 257, 258.— Bon. Consp. Av. (1850) p. 349. sp. 1.— Gray, Gen. Birds (1841), 

 vol. L. p. 232. 



Hab. Salwatty, New Guinea (Wallace). 



This singular and beautiful bird reminds one by tbe colour of its plumage of tbe family of Orioles, and has 

 received tbe trivial name of tbe Paradise Oriole from some naturalists on this account. But its proper position 

 is with the Paradiseidae ; and although it has been generally classed with the Regent bird of Australia in the 

 genus Sericalus, yet I have considered it more appropriate, from the shape of tbe bill and general character of 

 the plumage, such as a long erectile mantle and thick small crest, to place it in a distinct genus by itself', 

 and have therefore adopted Bonaparte's term of Xanthomelus. 



It is an exceedingly rare bird, never having been received in a perfect state, the natives either cutting off the 

 legs or pulHng out the primary quills ; and it is generally necessary to have more than one specimen in order to 

 obtain all the various portions of the bird. The female, as is the case with those of many species of Paradise-birds, 

 is even more rarely seen than the male, probably either because her sombre plumage renders her more difficult to be 

 detected in the thick forests where they live, or else, being less desirable as an article of trade when bright feathers 

 only are sought after, the natives neglect her and search after the more gaily attired male. Nothing whatever is 

 known of the economy or habits of this handsome species, our acquaintance with it being confined to the few skins 

 in various collections. Mr. Wallace did not see it himself. He says, " this beautiful bird inhabits the mainland of 

 New Guinea, and is also found in Salwatty, but is so rare that I was only able to obtain one imperfect native skin ; 

 and nothing whatever is known of its habits." Doubtless this species has the power to elevate and spread the 

 mantle with which it is adorned, somewhat in the manner exhibited in the acompanying plate ; and beautiful indeed 

 must it appear when thus displaying itself before its admiring mate, the quivering plumes falling around it like a 

 shower of gold. 



Male. — Head and lengthened plumes of the back, which cover the upper part of the body like a mantle, deep 

 rich orange. Feathers of the throat extending in a point on to the breast ; primaries and tail jet-black. All the 

 rest of the plumage deep rich yeUow ; the tips of the secondaries black. Bill horn-colour at base, black for the 

 remaining portion. 



Female. — General plumage uniform olive-colour ; the throat blackish brown, spotted with olive. The bill and 

 feet brown. 



