dense forests
between Lake St. Clair and Macquarie Harbour, where it attains
the height of 40 to 50 feet in sheltered positions,--the
venation, markings, and rich yellow colouring of which were
much admired."

1878. Rev. W. W. Spicer, `Handbook of the Plants of
Tasmania,' p. 125:

Richea pandanifolia, H. Giant Grass Tree. Peculiar to
Tasmania. Dense forests in the interior and SW."

<hw>Ridge-Myrtle</hw>, <i>n</i>. See <i>Myrtle</i>.

<hw>Rifle-bird</hw>, <i>n</i>. sometimes called also
<i>Rifleman</i> (q.v.); a bird of paradise. The male is of a
general velvety black, something like the uniform of the Rifle
Brigade. This peculiarity, no doubt, gave the bird its name,
but, on the other hand, settlers and local naturalists
sometimes ascribe the name to the resemblance they hear in the
bird's cry to the noise of a rifle being fired and its bullet
striking the target. The <i>Rifle-bird</i> is more famed for
beauty of plumage than any other Australian bird. There are
three species, and they are of the genus <i>Ptilorhis</i>,
nearly related to the Birds of Paradise of New Guinea, where
also is found the only other known species of <i>Ptilorhis</i>.
The chief species is <i>Ptilorhis paradisea</i>, Lath., the
other two species were named respectively, after the Queen and
the late Prince Consort, <i>Victoriae</i> and <i>Alberti</i>,
but some naturalists have given them other generic names.

As to the name, see also quotation, 1886. See <i>Manucode</i>.

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 194:

"We saw . . . a rifle-bird."

1886. `Encyclopaedia Britannica,' vol. xx. p. 553:

"Rifleman-Bird, or Rifle-Bird, names given . . . probably
because in coloration it resembled the well-known uniform of
the rifle-regiments of the British army, while in its long and
projecting hypochondriac plumes and short tail a further
likeness might be traced to the hanging pelisse and the jacket
formerly worn by the members of those corps."-- [Footnote]:
"Curiously enough its English name seems to be first mentioned
in ornithological literature by Frenchmen--Lesson and
Garnot--in 1828, who say (<i>Voy. `Coquille,' Zoologie</i>,
p. 669) that it was applied `pour rappeler que ce fut un soldat
de la garnison [of New South Wales] qui le tua le premier,'
which seems to be an insufficient reason, though the statement
as to the bird's first murderer may be true."

1890. C. Lumholtz, `Among Cannibals,' p. 171:

"It wa