SEMIOPTERA WALLACE I, g.r. Gray. 
Standard-Wing-. 
Paradisea wallacei, G. R. Gray in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part xxvii. p. 130 . 
Semiop ter a, G. R. Gray, lb. 
One of the most lemarkable Insessorial birds that has been discovered for many years is the one just sent 
to London by A. R. W r allace, Esq., from the island of Batchian, and to which Mr. G. R. Gray has given the 
geneiic appellation of Semioptera. How much gratified Mr. ATallace must have been when this remarkable 
form first met his gaze ! and how enthusiastically does he write on this and the other objects with which he 
is surrounded! — determining to keep his discovery secret, yet not resisting the temptation to make it 
known when next he writes home. As many of my readers may not be acquainted with the position of 
the island of Batchian, I may state that it is one of the Moluccas, and, according to Guthrie’s ‘Geography,’ 
“produces cloves, is very fruitful, and belongs to the Dutch; long. 125° 5' E.” Now, if there be one 
nation which has paid more attention to the natural productions of their foreign possessions than any other, 
it is the Dutch : how, then, is it that so conspicuous a bird as the Semioptera should not have been sent to 
Holland, and made known by Temminck or SchlegB ? With what pleasure and enthusiasm would its 
arrival have been hailed at their great Leyden Museum! Thus much by way of prelude: I shall now 
proceed to give a copy of Mr. AVallace’s letter to Mr. S. Stevens, in which he announces his interesting 
discovery : — 
“ Batchian, Moluccas, Oct. 29, 1858. 
“ Here I have been as yet only five days ; but from the nature of the country, and what I have already 
done, I am inclined to think it may prove one of the best localities I have yet visited. Birds are as yet 
very scarce ; but I still hope to get a fine collection, though I believe I have already the finest and most 
wonderful bird in the island. I had a good mind to keep it a secret, but I cannot resist telling you. I have 
a new Bird of Paradise ! of a new genus !! quite unlike anything yet known, very curious and very hand- 
some !!! When I can get a couple of pairs, I will send them overland, to see what a new Bird of Paradise 
will really fetch. Had I seen the bird in Ternate, I should never have believed it came from here , so far 
out of the hitherto supposed region of the Paradiseidce. I consider it the greatest discovery I have yet 
made ; and it gives me hopes of getting other species in Gilolo and Ceram. There is also here a species 
of Monkey — much further eastwards than in any other island ; so you see this is a most curious locality, 
combining forms of the East and West of the Archipelago, yet with species peculiar to itself. It also 
differs from all the other Moluccas in its geological formation, containing iron, coal, copper, and gold, with 
a glorious forest vegetation, and fine large mountain streams : it is a continent in miniature. The Dutch 
are working the coals ; and there is a good road to the mines, which gives one easy access to the interior 
forests. 
“ I can do nothing at drawing birds, but send you a horrible sketch of my discovery, that you may not 
die of curiosity. I am told the wet season here is terrible, and that it begins in December ; so I shall pro- 
bably have to leave then.” 
The sketch alluded to in the above extract having been placed in Mr. G. R. Gray’s hands for examination 
and comparison with other known species, the following notes of that gentleman relative to it were read to 
the meeting (of the Zoological Society, March 22nd, 1859) : — 
“ This bird proves, as Mr. Wallace remarks in his letter, to be a new form : it has, springing from the lesser 
coverts of each wing, two long shafts, both of which are webbed on each side at the apex. It is the posses- 
sion of these peculiar winged standards that induces me to propose for it the subgeneric appellation of 
Semioptera ; and I further add the provisional specific name of ivallacii, which appellation I think is justly 
due to Mr. Wallace for the indefatigable energy he has hitherto shown in the advancement of ornithological 
and entomological knowledge, by visiting localities rarely if ever travelled by naturalists.” 
