are found with the beak only half the length of that of the adult males and females. This fact made me 
think at first that I had found the female of E. el/ioti ; hut 1 was mistaken. An Epimachus seems to be found 
at ^Vaig’iou, and will probably be E. elltoti ; but I was not able to return there as I had Intended. Epi- 
machus maoeimus and Astrapla gularis are only found on the highest and most difficult peaks of Mount Arfak, 
nearly always above 6000 feet elevation. Specimens in dark plumage are common enough ; hut those 
which have attained perfect j)lumage are rare, perhaps because they take some 3 ^ears to acquire it. Both 
of them liv'e on the fruits of certain Pandanacese, and especially on those of the Freycmetice, which are epi- 
phytous on the trunks of trees. The irides of the large Epimachus are dark brick-red.” 
The descriptions are taken from Mr. Bowdler Sharpe’s ‘ Catalogue of Birds.’ 
Adult male. x4bo\ e velvety black, with metallic feathers of co])[)ery green on the head, middle of the back, 
and rump ; lores and feathers on the side of the head metallic like the crown ; entire under surface of 
body velvety black, with a purplish brown gloss on the sides of the body ; on each side of the breast springs 
a tuft of sickle-shaped plumes in the shape of a fan, velvety black, tipped with a broad band of steel-blue, 
before which is a narrow subterminal band of purplish blue ; flank-feathers long and drooping, the outer 
ones broadly tipped with metallic bronzy-green, before which is a double subterminal band of velvety black 
and purplish blue ; wings velvety black, with a gloss of steel-blue ; tail-feathers black, all but the three outer- 
most feathers washed with steel-blue, the two centre ones entirely of this colour; bill and legs black. 
Total length 26 inches, culmen 2‘85, wing 7*2, tail 16‘7. 
Female. Upper part of head brownish red ; rest of upper parts olive-brown, becoming slightly rufous on 
the rump and upper tail-coverts ; secondaries reddish brown, edged with rufous ; primaries dark brown, 
edge of outer web rufous ; cheeks, throat, and upper part of breast brownish black ; underparts white, 
narrowly barred with black; tall light brown, with a rufous tinge ; bill long and slender, much curved, and, 
with the feet and tarsi, jet-black. 
The figures in the Plate, which represent a male of about two thirds the natural size, and a male and a 
female very much reduced, are taken from a superb pair of skins in my own collection. 
