This rare and elegant little bird is found only on the mainland
of New Guinea, and in the island of Mysol.
A still more rare and beautiful species than the last is the
Diphyllodes wilsoni, described by Mr. Cassin from a native skin
in the rich museum of Philadelphia. The same bird was afterwards
named "Diphyllodes respublica" by Prince Buonaparte, and still
later, "Schlegelia calva," by Dr. Bernstein, who was so fortunate
as to obtain fresh specimens in Waigiou.
In this species the upper mantle is sulphur yellow, the lower one
and the wings pure red, the breast plumes dark green, and the
lengthened middle tail feathers much shorter than in the allied
species. The most curious difference is, however, that the top of
the head is bald, the bare skin being of a rich cobalt blue,
crossed by several lines of black velvety feathers.
It is about the same size as Diphyllodes speciosa, and is no
doubt entirely confined to the island of Waigiou. The female, as
figured and described by Dr. Bernstein, is very like that of
Cicinnurus regius, being similarly banded beneath; and we may
therefore conclude that its near ally, the "Magnificent," is at
least equally plain in this sex, of which specimens have not yet
been obtained.
The Superb Bird of Paradise was first figured by Buffon, and was
named by Boddaert, Paradisea atra, from the black ground colour
of its plumage. It forms the genus Lophorina of Viellot, and is
one of the rarest and most brilliant of the whole group, being
only known front mutilated native skins. This bird is a little
larger than the Magnificent. The ground colour of the plumage is
intense black, but with beautiful bronze reflections on the neck,
and the whole head scaled with feathers of brilliant metallic
green and blue. Over its breast it bears a shield formed of
narrow and rather stiff feathers, much elongated towards the
sides, of a pure bluish-green colour, and with a satiny gloss.
But a still more extraordinary ornament is that which springs
from the back of the neck, - a shield of a similar form to that on
the breast, but much larger, and of a velvety black colour,
glossed with bronze and purple. The outermost feathers of this
shield are half an inch longer than the wing, and when it is
elevated it must, in conjunction with the breast shield,
completely change the form and whole appearance of the bird. The
bill is black, and the feet appear to be yellow.
This wonderful little bird inhabits the interior of the northern
peninsula of New Guinea only. Neither I nor Mr. Allen could hear
anything of it in any of the islands or on any part of the coast.
It is true that it was obtained from the coast-natives by Lesson;
but when at Sorong in 1861, Mr. Allen learnt that it is only
found three days' journey in the interior. Owing to these "Black
Birds of Paradise," as they are called, not being so much valued
as articles of merchandise, they now seem to be rarely preserved
by the natives, and it thus happened that during several years
spent on the coasts of New Guinea and in the Moluccas I was never
able to obtain a skin.
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