the malay archipelago-2-第60节

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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　breast　shields。

The　Standard　Wing　is　found　in　Gilolo　as　well　as　in　Batchian；　and　all　the　specimens　from　the　former　island　have　the　green　breast　shield　rather　longer；　the　crown　of　the　head　darker　violet；　and　the　lower　parts　of　the　body　rather　more　strongly　scaled　with　green。　This　is　the　only　Paradise　Bird　yet　found　in　the　Moluccan　district；　all　the　others　being　confined　to　the　Papuan　Islands　and　North　Australia。

We　now　come　to　the　Epimachidae；　or　Long…billed　Birds　of　Paradise；　which；　as　before　stated；　ought　not　to　be　separated　from　the　Paradiseidae　by　the　intervention　of　any　other　birds。　One　of　the　most　remarkable　of　these　is　the　Twelve…wired　Paradise　Bird；　Paradises　alba　of　Blumenbach；　but　now　placed　in　the　genus　Seleucides　of　Lesson。

This　bird　is　about　twelve　inches　long；　of　which　the　compressed　and　curved　beak　occupies　two　inches。　The　colour　of　the　breast　and　upper　surface　appears　at　first　sight　nearly　black；　but　a　close　examination　shows　that　no　part　of　it　is　devoid　of　colour；　and　by　holding　it　in　various　lights；　the　most　rich　and　glowing　tints　become　visible。　The　head；　covered　with　short　velvety　feathers；　which　advance　on　the　chic　much　further　than　on　the　upper　part　of　the　beak；　is　of　a　purplish　bronze　colour；　the　whole　of　the　back　and　shoulders　is　rich　bronzy　green；　while　the　closed　wings　and　tail　are　of　the　most　brilliant　violet　purple；　all　the　plumage　having　a　delicate　silky　gloss。　The　mass　of　feathers　which　cover　the　breast　is　really　almost　black；　with　faint　glosses　of　green　and　purple；　but　their　outer　edges　are　margined　with　glittering　bands　of　emerald　green。　The　whole　lower　part　of　the　body　is　rich　buffy　yellow；　including　the　tuft　of　plumes　which　spring　from　the　sides；　and　extend　an　inch　and　a　half　beyond　the　tail。　When　skins　are　exposed　to　the　light　the　yellow　fades　into　dull　white；　from　which　circumstance　it　derived　its　specific　name。　About　six　of　the　innermost　of　these　plumes　on　each　side　have　the　midrib　elongated　into　slender　black　wires；　which　bend　at　right　angles；　and　curve　somewhat　backwards　to　a　length　of　about　ten　inches；　forming　one　of　those　extraordinary　and　fantastic　ornaments　with　which　this　group　of　birds　abounds。　The　bill　is　jet　black；　and　the　feet　bright　yellow。　（See　lower　figure　on　the　plate　at　the　beginning　of　this　chapter）。

The　female；　although　not　quite　so　plain　a　bird　as　in　some　other　species；　presents　none　of　the　gay　colours　or　ornamental　plumage　of　the　male。　The　top　of　the　head　and　back　of　the　neck　are　black；　the　rest　of　the　upper　parts　rich　reddish　brown；　while　the　under　surface　is　entirely　yellowish　ashy；　somewhat　blackish　on　the　breast；　and　crossed　throughout　with　narrow　blackish　wavy　bands。

The　Seleucides　alba　is　found　in　the　island　of　Salwatty；　and　in　the　north…western　parts　of　New　Guinea；　where　it　frequents　flowering　trees；　especially　sago…palms　and　pandani；　sucking　the　flowers；　round　and　beneath　which　its　unusually　large　and　powerful　feet　enable　it　to　cling。　Its　motions　are　very　rapid。　It　seldom　rests　more　than　a　few　moments　on　one　tree；　after　which　it　flies　straight　off；　and　with　great　swiftness；　to　another。　It　has　a　loud　shrill　cry；　to　be　heard　a　long　way；　consisting　of　〃Cah；　cah；〃　repeated　five　or　six　times　in　a　descending　scale；　and　at　the　last　note　it　generally　flies　away。　The　males　are　quite　solitary　in　their　habits；　although；　perhaps；　they　assemble　at　pertain　times　like　the　true　Paradise　Birds。　All　the　specimens　shot　and　opened　by　my　assistant　Mr。　Allen；　who　obtained　this　fine　bird　during　his　last　voyage　to　New　Guinea；　had　nothing　in　their　stomachs　but　a　brown　sweet　liquid；　probably　the　nectar　of　the　flowers　on　which　they　had　been　feeding。　They　certainly；　however；　eat　both　fruit　and　insects；　for　a　specimen　which　I　saw　alive　on　board　a　Dutch　steamer　ate　cockroaches　and　papaya　fruit　voraciously。　This　bird　had　the　curious　habit　of　resting　at　noon　with　the　bill　pointing　vertically　upwards。　It　died　on　the　passage　to　Batavia；　and　I　secured　the　body　and　formed　a　skeleton；　which　shows　indisputably　that　it　is　really　a　Bird　of　Paradise。　The　tongue　is　very　long　and　extensib