of the highest trees, as Dr. Wallace observed in the other species, and as I also remarked in iny former 
expedition.” 
Mr. A. P. Goodwin, who accompanied the Macgregor Expedition, says : “ Raggi’s Paradise-bird ( Paradisea 
raggiana) was found on the lower ranges of the mountains, and is rarely ever seen above an altitude of 
3000 feet. One evening I observed a number of this species flying from one tree to another, evidently 
feeding and dancing, as I am told is their habit. P. raggiana lives on fruit, which generally grows on high 
trees in Papua ; and as nature has provided these birds with a thick skin to keep their long plumage from 
falling out, it requires a strong charge of shot to bring them to the ground. It is to be regretted that 
the long red plumes soon lose their brightness after death.” 
The following note is taken from Messrs. Chalmers and Wyatt’s ‘Adventures in New Guinea ’ : — “ One 
morning we had camped on a spur of the Owen Stanley Range, and being up early, to enjoy the cool 
atmosphere, I saw on one of the clumps of trees close by six Birds of Paradise, four cocks and tw T o hens. 
The hens were sitting quietly on a branch, and the four cocks, dressed in their very best, their ruffs of green 
and yellow standing out, giving them a large handsome appearance about the head and neck, their long 
flowing plumes so arranged that every feather seemed combed out, and the long wires stretched well out 
behind, were dancing in a circle round them. It was an interesting sight ; first one then another would 
advance a little nearer to a hen, and she, coquette-like, would retire a little, pretending not to care for any 
advances. A shot was fired, contrary to my expressed wish ; there was a strange commotion, and two of the 
cocks flew away, the others and the hens remained. Soon the two returned, and again the dance began and 
continued long. As I had strictly forbidden any more shooting, all fear was gone ; and so, after a rest, the 
males came a little nearer to the dark brown and certainly not pretty hens. Quarrelling ensued and in the 
end all six birds flew away. 
“Passing through a forest at the back of the Astrolabe, I saw 7 several more engaged as above; our 
approach startled them, and away they flew. 
“ Anxious to taste the flesh, I had one cooked after being skinned ; but, although boiled for several hours, 
it was as tough as leather, and the soup not much to our taste. Fortunately w 7 e had other things for dinner, 
so put the paradise-dish aside.” 
Mr. Philip Crowley possesses an egg of this Bird of Paradise, procured by Mr. Goldie in South-eastern 
New Guinea. It is of the usual type of the eggs of Paradisea , and similar to those of P. apoda figured by 
Dr. A. B. Meyer (Zeitschr. ges. Orn. i. Taf. xvii. fig. 2). Mr. Goldie supplied the following note to 
Mr. Crowley : — “ This bird inhabits the entire length of British New Guinea towards the east, being often 
found close to the sea-coast. In the Australian Flora district, around Port Moresby, it is more retired, not 
being found under 1500 feet elevation, probably from not meeting with its ordinary food, as it is very dry in 
this district at one season of the year. They are most abundant at an elevation of from 2000 to 3000 feet 
above the sea, but above that altitude are rarely found. In the morning they congregate in the very tallest 
and largest trees of the district, selecting certain ones about half a mile apart, and here they disport 
themselves, dancing and strutting with outstretched plumes till about 8 a.m., when they leave to feed. All 
day they continue to shout, but do not keep in flocks. They return to the same trees an hour or two 
before sunset, and continue dancing and shouting often till quite dark. 
“The ornamental plumage is assumed about the end of April or in May, and is retained for six or seven 
months. The nesting-season is in June and July. I think that the reason the nests have not been got 
before w?as owing to the mistaken idea that the bird nested in very high trees, such as those in which they 
assemble, but the truth is that they mostly build in shrubs at about fifteen or twenty feet above the ground. 
“ There was only one egg in the nest, and this, so the natives say, is almost invariably the case, though 
sometimes two, and on very rare occasions three, eggs are found. I discovered several nests with one young- 
bird in each.” 
The following descriptions are taken from my ‘ Catalogue of Birds ’ : — 
Adult male . Head and neck all round straw-buff, the feathers close-set and of a velvety texture; a frontal 
band and cheeks, ear-coverts, and throat, bright metallic green, the feathers velvety to the touch, this green 
patch leaving a narrow band of straw-buff plumes across the lower throat; forehead appearing black in 
certain lights ; chin velvety greenish black, contrasting with the throat; entire back ruddy chestnut-brown, 
the wings slightly paler than the back and not so glossy, the shafts of the quills bright reddish, the least wing- 
coverts broadly edged with straw-buff; tail ruddy brown, with red shafts like the quills, the two centre feathers 
