PARADISEA PAPUANA. 
Papuan Bird of Paradise. 
Paradisea papuana, Bechst. Kurze Uebers. p. 131 (1811) Gray, Gen. B. ii. p. 323 (1847). — Bonap. Consp. Gen. 
Av. i. p. 413 (1850). — Gray, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 157. — Wallace, Ibis, 1859, p. Ill; 1861, p. 287. — 
Schl. J. f. O. 1861, p. 385. — Sclater, P. Z. S. 1862, p. 123. — Wall. tom. cit. p. 160. — Rosenb. J. f. 0. 
1864, p. 129. — Schl. Nederl. Tijdschr. Dierk. iv. pp. 17, 49. 
Paradisea hartletti, Goodwin, P. Z. S. 1860, p. 244 (the young male). 
The specific name usually applied to this gorgeous bird is minors I must therefore state my reasons for not 
adopting that title in the present instance. To call it minor, when it is the largest, is unphilosophical. 
I consider that there are two species or races confounded under one name ; the examples brought home by 
Wallace from New Guinea, of which I have four or five, are by no means so fine or large as those from 
Mysol and other localities. I therefore propose to restrict the name papuana to the larger bird, and to adopt 
that of minor for the smaller. The ttYm papuana is also applicable to the specimens sent from Jobi, as 
Count Salvador! states that the individuals from that island are larger, and the male birds have the plumes 
longer and much more finely developed, while the dull chestnut colour of the head in the females and young 
males is darker, occupying the whole of the head, and being abruptly separated from the yellow colour of 
the neck. 
The present species has been on two occasions sent alive to this country, and has lived in the Zoological 
Gardens. The first specimens were brought by Mr. Wallace from Singapore in April 1862 ; and one of 
these lived till the 25th of December 1863, tbe other till the 28th of March 1864, in the Gardens. The 
second couple were obtained from the young French traveller, M. Leon Laglaize, who brought four living 
specimens with him on his return from his expedition to New Guinea. All these four specimens lived 
through tbe winter in the Jardin des Plantes at Paris ; and two of them subsequently passed into the 
Zoological Society’s collection in tbe Regent’s Park, where one of them still survives. 
Mr. Wallace gives the following account of his obtaining these specimens and their subsequent journey : — 
“ When I returned home in 1862, I was so fortunate as to find two adult males of this species in Singapore ; 
and as they seemed healthy and fed voraciously on rice, bananas, and cockroaches, I determined on giving 
tbe very bigb price asked for them (£100), and to bring them to England by the overland route under my own 
care. On my way home I stayed a week at Bombay, to break tbe journey and to lay in a fresh stock of bananas 
for my birds. I bad great difficulty, however, in supplying them with insect food ; for in the Peninsular and 
Oriental steamers cockroaches were scarce, and it was only by setting traps in the store-rooms, and by hunting 
an hour every night in tbe forecastle, that I could secure a few dozen of these creatures, scarcely enough for 
a single meal. At Malta, where I stayed a fortnight, I got plenty of cockroaches from a bakehouse ; and 
when I left I took with me several biscuit-tins full, as provision for the voyage home. We came through the 
Mediterranean in March with a very cold w'ind ; and the only place on board the mail steamer where their 
large cage could be accommodated was exposed to a strong current of air down a hatchway, which stood 
open day and night ; yet the birds never seemed to feel the cold. During the night-journey from Marseilles 
to Paris it was a sharp frost; yet they arrived in London in perfect health, and lived in the Zoological 
Gardens for one and two years respectively, often displaying their beautiful plumes to tbe admiration of tbe 
spectators. It is evident, therefore, that the Paradise-birds are very hardy, and require air and exercise rather 
than heat ; and I feel sure that if a good-sized conservatory could be devoted to them, or if they could be 
turned loose in tbe tropical department of tbe Crystal Palace, or the Great Palm-house at Kew, they would 
live in this country for many years.” 
The following account of these two birds when in the Gardens, was written by Mr. Bartlett 
for publication in my friend Mr. Elliot’s ‘ Monograph of the Paradiseidae :’ — “ When the two birds 
of Paradise first arrrived at the Gardens in April 1862, their plumes w'ere quite short, only about 
five inches long. The birds had moulted ; and the new feathers were growing in a thick bunch on each 
side below their wings. They appeared in good health, and were active and lively. I soon ascertained 
how fond they were of meal-worms and other insects ; and they fed freely upon fruit, boiled rice, &c. ; 
