PTILONORHYNCHINiE. 
Astrapia Vieill* 
Sill moderate, with the culmen slightly curved to the tip, which is emarginated and curved ; the sides 
rnu ch compressed ; and the gonys long and straight ; the nostrils basal, lateral, sunk, and partly hidden 
b y the velvety frontal plumes. Wings moderate and pointed, with the third and fourth (?) quills the 
longest. Tail remarkably long, and much graduated, with the feathers broad and rounded at their 
ends. 
These birds are found in the great forests of New Guinea. Their habits and manners have not been noticed by 
ornithologists. 
A .nigra (Gmel.) Vieill. Ois. de Parad. t. 8, 9-> Le Vaill. Ois. 
l ^ e Parad. t. 20, 21, 22. — Paradisea gularis Lath.; Astrapia 
Solaris Vieill. Gal. des Ois. t. 107- 
2. A. carunculata (Less.) Ey. et Souley, Rev. Zool. 1 84-0. 1., 
Voy. de la Bonite, Ois. t. 
Juida Less, f 
Sill moderate, more or less slender ; the sides compressed, and the culmen slightly curved to the tip, 
Avli ich is emarginated ; the gonys long, and slightly advancing upwards ; the nostrils basal, lateral, and 
sunk, with the feathers advancing to the opening, which is exposed and oval. Wings moderate and 
Pointed, with the first quill short, and the second rather shorter than the third, fourth, and fifth, which 
are the longest. Tail more or less long, slightly rounded or much graduated. Tarsi about the length 
the middle toe, robust, and covered with broad scales. Toes rather long, strong, and roughly scaled, 
Ike lateral toes unequal, the outer one longer than the inner, the hind toe long and robust ; the claws 
strong, short, slightly curved, and compressed. 
It is in tlie warmer portions of the continent of Africa, that these showy birds migrate from place to place. They 
ai ° usually observed in extensive flocks, wherever they can procure their subsistence, which consists of fruits and 
berries. The fruit gardens and vineyards of the settlers are sadly attacked by these destructive birds, when the 
huits are just on the point of ripening and becoming useful for wine, &c. At other times they are content to search 
*k ( ' humid ground or manure for insects and worms, or are seen on the backs of animals examining the hair for the insects 
w hich are lodged in such places. The nest is formed in the holes of rocks or trees, and sometimes many nests aie 
I°und in one place side by side. The eggs are generally five or six in number. 
b J - ainea (Linn.) Less. PI. enl. 220., Le Vaill. Ois. d’Afr. t. 87. 
Merula viridis longicauda &c. Briss. ; Corvus aureo-viridis 
>aw ’ Swains. B. of W. Afr. pi. 7. 
t • ' au stralis (A. Smith). — Lamprotornis Burchellii A. Smith, 
• S. Af. /ool. Birds, pi. 47- ; Type of Megalopterus Smith (1836). 
3. J. purpuroptera (Rupp.) Syst. Uebers. &c. t. 25. 
4. J. splendida (Shaw), Le Vaill. Ois. d Afr. t. 85. 
5. J. aurata (Gmel.) PI. enl. 540. — Turdus juida Bo, Id. 
6. J . phrenicoptera (Swains.) Le Vaill. Ois. d Afr. t. 80., Shaw, 
Nat. Misc. pi. 873. 
and ? sta ^bshed by Vieillot in 1816 ( Analyse , ^c., p. 36.). Lamprotornis of M.Temminck (1820), Paradic/alla 
. amprornis of Nitzsch (1840) are synonymous. 
Sundet n aS ' n 1 83 1 that M. Lesson established this genus (TraiU d’Ornith. p. 40'i 
11 ' a (1835), and Megalopterus of Dr. Smith are synonymous. 
Spreo of M. Lesson (1831), Lamprocolius of M. 
