MANUCODIA COMRII, Sclater. 
Curl-crested Manucode. 
Manucodia comrii, Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1876, p. 459, pi. xlii., et P. Z. S. 1877, p. 43. 
The discovery of this interesting bird in the southern parts of New Guinea confirms the opinion so generally 
offered by naturalists, that this highly gifted country may yet have many stores left for our contemplation 
and study ; indeed, as time runs on, it is constantly yielding fruits to those who may enter its precincts, let 
it be on the north or the south. Since the time of Wallace’s visit the Dutch explorer Von Rosenberg, 
Dr. Meyer, Hr. Bruijn, and the Italians D’Albertis and Beccari have each Immortalized their names by 
their discoveries in Papuan ornithology. But that of the fine bird under consideration is due to a medical 
officer of Her Majesty’s Service ; and the species itself may be regarded as one of the most valuable of the 
novelties lately transmitted to us, particularly so from its adding another member to the Paradiseidm. We 
find in the ‘ Proceedings ’ of the Zoological Society, as above quoted, the following note by Dr. Sclater : — 
“ Dr. Com rie has placed in my hands, for determination, some bird-skins collected by him while serving as 
medical officer in H.M.S. ‘Basilisk’ during its recent survey of the south-east coast of New Guinea under 
the command of Captain Moresby. The collection contains thirteen specimens, belonging to eleven species, 
of which one is quite new to science, and two others are only known from single specimens. 
“This Mmiiicodia,” Dr. Sclater continues, “may he regarded as by far the finest and largest species of the 
genus yet discovered. It is immediately distinguishable from 3f. chalijheia and A/, atra by its much larger size 
and longer bill, which is deeply sulcated at the nostrils. The characteristic curling of the feathers is extended 
to a greater degree, and pervades the whole of the head and neck ; the feathers of the abdomen are black at 
the base, broadly margined with purple. Dr. Comrie obtained a single specimen of this fine bird in May 
1874 in Huan Gulf. It was shot flying amongst the trees in the scrubby forest, about a quarter of a 
mile from the coast.” 
In a subsequent communication to the Society Mr. Sclater called attention to the original and unique 
specimen of his Manucodia comrii (P. Z. S. 1876, p. 459), now belonging to the collection of the Marquis 
ofTweeddale, the President of the Society, which since it was described and figured, had undergone a 
most efficient “ remake ” in Mr. Bartlett’s able hands. 
The curly feathers of the head were now much more apparent and better developed than shown even 
in the woodcut given with the original description, and formed standing ridges over each eye. The tail 
was not flat, as would appear from the figure (pi. xlii.), hut “ boat-shaped ” as in some of the American 
Grakles (^Quiscalus), i. e. with the median tail-feathers elevated above the lateral. The two middle tail- 
feathers were very peculiar in construction, being shorter by three quarters of an inch than the next pair, 
and having the inner webs twisted round over the outer, so as to show their under surfaces. 
The highly singular characteristic of the turnover feathers is also seen in the Green Manucode 
(4/. chalyhea), where the frizzly plumes, partieularly those of the face and neck, are even more singular. 
Such eccentricities are really not to be accounted for, as we cannot conceive they can be for any useful 
purpose. 
I must not conclude this paper without returning my thanks to the Marquis of Tvveeddale and Dr. Sclater 
for the loan of the speeimen from which the accompanying drawing was taken. The principal figure is of 
the size of life. 
