the malay archipelago-2-第67章

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ange…buff：　The　whole　under　surface　is　covered　with　an　abundance　of　plumage　springing　from　the　margins　of　the　breast；　and　of　a　rich　deep　green　colour；　with　changeable　hues　of　purple。　Down　the　middle　of　the　breast　is　a　broad　band　of　scaly　plumes　of　the　same　colour；　while　the　chin　and　throat　are　of　a　rich　metallic　bronze。　From　the　middle　of　the　tail　spring　two　narrow　feathers　of　a　rich　steel　blue；　and　about　ten　inches　long。　These　are　webbed　on　the　inner　side　only；　and　curve　outward；　so　as　to　form　a　double　circle。

From　what　we　know　of　the　habits　of　allied　species；　we　may　be　sure　that　the　greatly　developed　plumage　of　this　bird　is　erected　and　displayed　in　some　remarkable　manner。　The　mass　of　feathers　on　the　under　surface　are　probably　expanded　into　a　hemisphere；　while　the　beautiful　yellow　mantle　is　no　doubt　elevated　so　as　to　give　the　bird　a　very　different　appearance　from　that　which　it　presents　in　the　dried　and　flattened　skins　of　the　natives；　through　which　alone　it　is　at　present　known。　The　feet　appear　to　be　dark　blue。

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。　We　are　therefore　quite　ignorant　of　the　habits　of　this　bird；　and　also　of　its　female；　though　the　latter　is　no　doubt　as　plain　and　inconspicuous　as　in　all　the　other　species　of　this　family。

The　Golden；　or　Six…shafted；　Paradise　Bird；　is　another　rare　species；　first　figured　by　Buffon；　and　never　yet　obtained　in　perfect　condition。　It　was　named　by　Boddaert；　Paradisea　sexpennis；　and　forms　the　genus　Parotia　of　Viellot。　This　wonderful　bird　is　about　the　size　of　the　female　Paradisea　rubra。　The　plumage　appear；　at　first　sight　black；　but　it　glows　in　certain　light　with　bronze　and　deep　purple。　The　throat　and　breast　are　scaled　with　broad　flat　feathers　of　an　intense　golden　hue；　changing　to　green　and　blue　tints　in　certain　lights。　On　the　back　of　the　head　is　a　broad　recurved　band　of　feathers；　whose　brilliancy　is　indescribable；　resembling　the　sheen　of　emerald　and　topaz　rather　than　any　organic　substance。　Over　the　forehead　is　a　large　patch　of　pure　white　feathers；　which　shine　like　satin；　and　from　the　sides　of　the　head　spring　the　six　wonderful　feathers　from　which　the　bird　receives　its　name。　These　are　slender　wires；　six　inches　long；　with　a　small　oval　web　at　the　extremity。　In　addition　to　these　ornaments；　there　is　also　an　immense　tuft　of　soft　feathers　on　each　side　of　the　breast；　which　when　elevated　must　entirely　hide　the　wings；　and　give　the　bird　au　appearance　of　being　double　its　real　bulk。　The　bill　is　black；　short；　and　rather　compressed；　with　the　feathers　advancing　over　the　nostrils；　as　in　Cicinnurus　regius。　This　singular　and　brilliant　bird　inhabits　the　same　region　as　the　Superb　Bird　of　Paradise；　and　nothing　whatever　is　known　about　it　but　what　we　can　derive　from　an　examination　of　the　skins　preserved　by　the　natives　of　New　Guinea。

The　Standard　Wing；　named　Semioptera　wallacei　by　Mr。　G。　R。　Gray；　is　an　entirely　new　form　of　Bird　of　Paradise；　discovered　by　myself　in　the　island　of　Batchian；　and　especially　distinguished　by　a　pair　of　long　narrow　feathers　of　a　white　colour；　which　spring　from　among　the　short　plumes　which　clothe　the　bend　of　the　wing；　and　are　capable　of　being　erected　at　pleasure。　The　general　colour　of　this　bird　is　a　delicate　olive…brown；　deepening　to　a　loud　of　bronzy　olive　in　the　middle　of　the　back；　and　changing　to　a　delicate　ashy　violet　with　a　metallic　gloss；　on　the　crown　of　the　head。　The　feathers；　which　cover　the　nostrils　and　extend　half…way　down　the　beak；　are　loose　and　curved　upwards。　Beneath；　it　is　much　more　beautiful。　The　scale…like　feathers　of　the　breast　are　margined　with　rich　metallic　blue…green；　which　colour　entirely　covers　the　throat　and　sides　of　the　neck；　as　well　as　the　long　pointed　plumes　which　spring　from　the　sides　of　the　breast；　and　extend　nearly　as　far　as　the　end　of　the　wings。　The　most　curious　feature　of　the　bird；　however；　and　one　altogether　unique　in　the　whole　class；　is　found　in　the　pair　of　long　narrow　delicate　feathers　which　spring　from　each　wing　close　to　the　bend。　On　lifting　the　wing…coverts　they　are　seen　to　arise　from　two　tubular　horny　sheaths；　which　diverge　from　near　the　point　of　junction　of　the　carpal　bones。　As　already　described　at　p。　41；　they　are　erectile；　and　when　the　bird　is　excited　are　spread　out　at　right　angles　to　the　wing　and　slightly　divergent。　They　are　from　six　to　six　and　a　half　inches　long；　the　upper　one　slightly　exceeding　the　lower。　The　total　length　of　the　bird　is　eleven　inches。　The　bill　is　horny　olive；　the　iris　deep　olive；　and　the　feet　bright　orange。

The　female　bird　is　remarkably　plain；　being　entirely　of　a　dull　pale　earthy　brown；　with　only　a　slight　tinge　of　ashy　violet　on　the　head　to　relieve　its　general　monotony；　and　the　young　males　exactly　resemble　her。　（See　figures　at　p。　41。）

This　bird；　frequents　the　lower　trees　of　the　forests；　and；　like　most　Paradise　Birds；　is　in　constant　motionflying　from　branch　to　branch；　clinging　to　the　twigs　and　even　to　the　smooth　and　vertical　trunks　almost　as　easily　as　a　woodpecker。　It　continually　utters　a　harsh；　creaking　note；　somewhat　intermediate　between　that　of　Paradisea　apoda；　and　the　more　musical　cry　of　Cicinnurus　regius。　The　males　at　short　intervals　open　and　flutter　their　wings；　erect　the　long　shoulder　feathers；　and　spread　out　the　elegant　green　bre