538 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
Birds of Paradise. — These wonderful birds, inhabitants of the inaccessible 
and dangerous swamps of New Guinea, have at length been comfortably 
located in the Zoological Gardens of London. One specimen only had pre- 
viously been known in this country, which many years since lived at Windsor, 
as a pet of the late Princess Augusta. For the present grand addition to the 
unrivalled collection in the Regent’s Park, the society and the public are 
indebted to Mr. A. R. Wallace, well known in connection with his zoological 
explorations. With infinite difficulty he succeeded in procuring two 
specimens, both males unfortunately, of the Paradisca papuana, which 
have been transported safely, and deposited in the gardens in a healthy 
condition. The loveliness of the plumage of these birds is no guarantee of 
sweetness of voice, and their harsh caw is said to resemble that of the crows, 
to which family they are nearly allied. 
The Pythoness. — Since the arrival of the Hippopotamus, no animal has 
caused so general an interest as the female Python, which was long busily 
engaged iu incubating her pde of eggs. We abstained from noticing it in our 
last number, preferring to await the result. The Indian Python ( Python 
bivittatus), which, in 1841, hatched eight of its eggs at Paris, incubated fifty- 
six days, and the careful observations made on that occasion are interesting 
as compared with the recent event. Our python deposited its eggs on the 
13th January, and commenced at once its self-imposed duties. Having sat 
for six weeks without taking food, the annual came off on the 4th of March, 
for the purpose of changing its skin, and remained all night aw r ay from her 
eggs. Towards the end of March,, after the reptile had been nine weeks 
upon the eggs, it was deemed desirable to remove them, which was done with 
much difficulty, when it was found that they were entirely decomposed, so 
much so as to render it impossible to say how long they had lost their vitality, 
though they are believed to have been impregnated. The whole circumstance 
is extraordinary, and not the least remarkable part of it is the increased 
temperature evolved by the reptile during the process, to all appearance for 
the purpose of vivifying the eggs. M. Valenciennes states, that in the case 
of the Indian Python at Paris, a special heat was developed, which gradually 
diminished as the eggs approached hatching. Although the experiment in 
the recent case was incomplete, Dr. Sclater is of opinion that this view is not 
confirmed. The fact, however, of a special heat attributable to the process of 
incubation is undoubted. The male and female python were both kept in the 
same den, the temperature of which varied from 58° to 66°. The tempera- 
ture of the male was usually between 10°and 11° above this, while thetempe- 
museum, was, in a most business-like manner, measuring the monster’s 
proportions as he lay in his narrow coffin. 
Our broker-friend informed us, that “ if this sample is approved, a regular 
supply will be forthcoming so we recommend M. du Chaillu to “ realize,” if 
he has any stocks on hand. 
The animal above referred to killed the native who inflicted the mortal 
wound. The black speared him in the breast, and approaching too soon to 
withdraw the spear, was seized by the gorilla, and instantly squeezed to 
death in his terrible embrace. 
We hope shortly to be able to communicate further details concerning the 
habits of these animals. 
