302 GORGET PARAt)lSE-BIRD/ 



together with the base of the throat, are black, the 

 feathers being of a velvet-like structure, with the 

 pile or shag of very considerable length, so as to 

 form a kind of elevated crest, surrounding the bill> 

 and continued on each side the bill beyond the 

 eyes: the rest of the head, and upper part of the 

 neck, are covered with scale-shaped gold-green 

 feathers: the throat is black, with a changeable 

 gloss of the most brilliant golden copper- colour^ 

 and which, in the individual specimen described 

 by Mr. Latham, formed a transverse bright cres- 

 cent from the angles of the bill across the lower 

 part of the throat: all the under parts, from the 

 throat, are of a dark green, with a band of golden- 

 green across the middle of the belly; and all the 

 upper parts, from the neck, are black, with vary- 

 ing glosses of purple and green : the tail is com- 

 posed of rather broad feathers^ of extremely un- 

 equal length, the two exterior measuring about 

 five inches, while the two middle or longest feathers^ 

 as before observed, measure nearly twenty- two 

 inches: the tail on its upper surface appears undu- 

 lated or marked towards its lower part with numer- 

 ous transverse shaded bars, of a deeper cast than 

 the rest, and the whole is accompanied by an ap^ 

 pearance of a violet-coloured bloom, Vv^hile the 

 under surface shews a shade of piirple. 



The first correct description of this rare species 

 seems to have been given by Mr. Latham, from a 

 specimen in the possession of Sir Joseph Banks, 

 who procured it during his circumnavigation with 

 Captain Cook. A mutilated spex;imen however 



