SELEUCIDES ALBA. 



is really a Bird of Paradise. The tongue is very long and extensible, but flat and a little fibrous at the end, 

 exactly like the true Paradiseas. In the island of Salwatty the natives search in the forest till they find the 

 sleeping-place of this bird, which they know by seeing its dung upon the ground. It is generally in a low bushy 

 tree. At night they climb up the tree, and shoot the birds with blunt arrows, or even catch them alive with 

 a cloth. In New Guinea they are caught by placing snares on the trees frequented by them, in the same way 

 as the Red Paradise-birds are caught in Waigiou." 



Male. — Head, neck, and throat velvety black, changing in certain lights to a beautiful rich purple ; back beautiful 

 changeable olive-green. Primaries purplish black ; secondaries brilliant metallic purple. Entire upper part of breast 

 deep velvety black. Feathers of the throat projecting forwards on to the lower mandible. On the lower edges of 

 the feathers of the breast, which are lengthened and capable of being puffed out from the body, is a line of 

 exceedingly brilliant metallic emerald-green. Flank-feathers (which are lengthened into dense lateral plumes) and 

 lower parts deep rich buff. The shafts of the flank-feathers extend far beyond the plumes proper, and curve back- 

 wards towards the body, six on either side, and are black above, white beneath. The tail is the same rich purple 

 as the secondaries. Bill long, black. Feet and tarsi red. 



Female. — Head and back of neck velvety black. Entire upper parts, wings, and tail deep reddish chestnut. 

 Primaries and secondaries purplish brown on their inner d webs, reddish chestnut on the outer. Chin buffy white. 

 Entire underparts buffy white barred with dark brown, darkest on the upper part of breast. Bill black. Feet and 

 tarsi flesh-colour. 



