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 wond