304 Passeres. BIRDS. PROJiERoriD.E. 
ably common, taking up its abode in woods, groves of 
and violet tints, in a perfectly circumscribed patch of 
trees, hedges, and even in single trees, and sometimes 
considerable size and nearly triangular form, bounded 
about old buildings. Like the European Hoopoe, it 
below by a bright, orange-yellow, transverse line ; the 
feeds on the ground, walking and running with great 
tail, unlike that of the preceding species, is short, and 
facility, and picking up insects and worms as it pro- 
nearly square, and on each side of the base of the tail 
grosses. It is said by Lieutenant Burgess to be partial 
beneath the wings, there spring a few light decomposed 
to the sandy ground in the Deccan, feeding upon the 
plumes, resembling those forming the tufts of the true 
Ant-lions, whose conical pitfalls abound in such situa- 
Birds of Paradise. This bird inhabits New Guinea. 
tions. In Ceylon, it has been observed investigating the 
THE RIFLE BIRD {Ptiloris para discus). This 
dung of cattle in search of the beetles with which that 
magnificent species has only been discovered in the 
substance usually swarms. Its note resembles that of 
south-eastern corner of Australia, between the Hunter 
the common Hoopoe. This species breeds in holes in 
River and Moreton Bay. It measures nearly eleven 
old buildings and mud walls, into wliich it brings a few 
inches in length. The two sexes are very different in 
fibres of some soft substance for the reception of its 
their colours; as Mr. Gould remarks, “ While the male 
eggs, which are of a very pale blue colour. 
is adorned with hues oidy equalled by some species of 
THE RED-BILLED IRRISOR {Irrisor erytlirorhyn- 
the Trochilidcc, or Humming-birds, the dress of the 
clius) belongs to a genus, of which numerous species 
female is as sombre as can well be imagined.” The 
are found in Africa, in which the tail is very long 
general colour of the plumage of the male is a rich 
and the head destitute of a crest. This species is 
velvet black, with a brownish-violet lustre on the 
about fifteen inches in length, and of a blackish-green 
upper surface ; the feathers of the abdomen and flanks 
colour, with the abdomen black, the wings and tail 
are broadly marguied with rich olive-green ; the crown 
spotted with white, and the rostrum and feet red. 
of the head and the throat are covered with beautiful 
Tliese birds inhabit the tali trees, where they creep 
scale-like, metallic, bluish-green feathers, and the two 
along the branches in search of the insects and larvie 
middle feathers of the tail are also of a metallic-gi'een 
which constitute their principal nourishment. They 
colour. The female is very dissimilar. The whole 
are also said to feed upon figs. 
upper surface in this sex is greyish-brown, the feathers 
THE SUPERB PLUMED BIRD {Epimachus magnus). 
of the head having each a white line down the centre; 
The Plumed birds, as they are called, resemble the 
the whole lower surface is buff, paler on the throat, and 
Birds of Paradise in the great development of some 
each feather of the breast and abdomen has a black, 
parts of their plumage, and also in the great brilliancy 
arrow-shaped mark upon it. The bill and feet are 
of colour exhibited by most of the species. They have 
black in both sexes. Scarcely anything is known of 
accordingly been placed by many writers with the 
the habits of this bird, which is said to climb aboiit 
Birds of Paradise, or in their immediate neighbour- 
upon the trunks of the trees in the Australian forests. 
hood, and they certainly differ but little from those 
Mr. Gould has described a second species of this 
birds, except in the form of the bill. The species are 
genus, under the name of Ft. Victorice, in compliment 
inhabitants of New Guinea and its dependencies. 
to the Queen. 
The Superb Plumed Bird is about the size of a 
pigeon, but from the enormous development of the tail 
feathers, of whicb the middle ones are twenty-eight 
Family II.— PROMEROPID^E. 
inches long, the whole measures about four feet in 
length. The general colour of this beautiful bird is 
The birds of this family, to which the name of Sun- 
violet black ; the back of the head and neck, and the 
birds is frequently applied, are generally splendid in 
fore part of the belly, are of a brilliant glossy green 
their plumage, and like most birds in which this is the 
colour ; the scapulars are very remarkable for their 
case, they are confined to the tropical parts of the 
peculiar form, the shafts being curved upwards and 
earth’s surface. They are, however, common to both 
furnished with very short webs on the uj)per surface. 
hemispheres, although the species found in the Old 
whilst the barbs of the lower surface are very long. 
World all differ in certain respects from those inhabit- 
and of a purplish-black colour at the base ; but the 
ing America. The majority of the species belong to 
ti[is of these barbs for a considerable length, are of 
the Eastern Hemisphere. 
a most brihiant golden-green colour. From beneath 
The family is distinguished by having the bill long 
each wing springs a tuft of light feathers, resembling 
and slender, and usually more or less curved, with the 
in texture those of the common Bird of Paradise, of a 
nostrils situated at the base of the upper mandible, and 
dusky colour, and about eight inches and a half in 
covered by a scale ; the wings are of moderate length. 
lei>gth, and on each side of the tail there are about 
and the tarsi short and clothed with broad scales. In 
half a dozen long and pointed feathers of a bronzed 
their general habits these birds resemble the Humming 
and gilded green colour, with unequal webs ; the tail 
birds, which they rival "in splendour of colouring, fre- 
feathers are blue-black and brilliant, the two middle 
quenting the flowers in search of the small insects 
ones being chestnut. 
usually found amongst the petals, which they extract 
THE MAGNIFICENT PLUMED BIRD {Epimachus 
by means of their long slender bills. According to 
magnificus). This species, which is rather smaller 
some writers they also feed upon the sweet juices of 
than the preceding, is of a general black colour, with 
the flowers; and from this opinion they have been 
violet and green reflections in certain lights ; the throat 
denominated Sucriers, or Sugar-birds, by the French 
and breast exhibit the most vivid metallic blue, green. 
authors. 
