1858.—G r a y , ‘ P r o c e e d in g s of t h e Z oolo g ic a l S o c ie t y o f L o n d o n . ’
/ Elurtedus melanotis described in the genus Ptilonorhynchus; also the Paradisea apoda, from Aru, is described as
P. Wallaciana. Species 27.
1859.—G. R. G r a y , ‘ P r o c e e d in g s o f t h e Z oolo g ic a l S o c ie t y of L o n d o n . ’
Semioptera Wallacei first described. Species 28.
1859.— G r a y , ‘ P r o c e e d in g s of t h e Z o o logical S o c ie t y o f L o n d o n .’
The variety P. Wallaciana, referred to above, is here erased by the author from the list, as not entitled to any
specific consideration.
1859.—G. R. Gr a y , ‘ P r o c e e d in g s o f t h e Z oolo g ic a l S o c ie t y of L o n d o n . ’
Manucodia Keraudreni, from Australia, separated as distinct, and called M. Gouldi.
1860.—G o o dw in , ‘ P r o c e e d in g s o f t h e Z oolo g ic a l S o c ie ty o f L o n d o n .’
A young mala of Paradisea minor described as distinct under the name of P. Bartlettii.
1862.—W a l l a c e , ‘ P r o c e e d in g s o f t h e Z o o lo g ic a l S o c ie t y o f L o n d o n . ’
Some valuable remarks are given upon the geographical distribution of the Birds of Paradise, and also the
great difficulties existing in their capture.
1862.— Go u l d , ‘ P r o c e e d in g s o f t h e Z o o lo g ic a l S o c ie t y o f L o n d o n .’
Chlamydodera guttata described from a head.
1867.—S c h l e g e l , ‘ M u s e u m d ’H i s t o ir e N a t u r e l l e d e s P a y s -B a s .’
A catalogue of the species in the Leyden Museum. They are arranged in the following genera:—Paradisea,
Epimachus, Sericulus, and Ptilonorhynchus, including in the last the species of Bower-birds of the genus Chlamydodera.
The number of specimens shows how rich that Museum is ip the birds o f this family,
1867.— D ig g l e s , ‘ O r n it h o lo g y o f A u s t r a l ia . ’
A hybrid between Ptilonorhynchus violáceos and Sericulus melinus is described and figured as Ptilonorhynchus
Rawnsleyi.
1869.—W a l l a c e , ‘ M a l a y A r c h ip e l a g o .’
In this valuable and interesting work a full account of the habits of the different species o f Paradiseidse
observed by the author, as well as their geographical distribution, is given, to which is added a list o f the
species considered to belong to the family. Eighteen species are recorded; those belonging to the genera
Sericulus, Ptilonorhynchus, Chlamydodera, ASlurcedus, and Manucodia are not included. The Paradise-Oriole is
placed with a query in the genus Sericulus, and an opinion expressed that it would be more properly placed
ip a genus by itself, which has been done ip this Monograph.
1870.—G r a y , ‘ H a n d - l i s t o f B i r d s . ’ \
This, the latest o f Mr. Gray’s publications, gives all the species included in this Monograph. The classification
is nearly the same as in his previous writings, and the Paradiseidse are placed in three families—
Paradiseidse, Stumidse, and Oriolidse. The Regent and Bower-birds are removed from the Stumidse (where they
were placed in the ‘ Genera of Birds ’) and made a subfamily (Ptilonorhynchina) of the Oriolidse.
1871.— E l l io t , ‘ P r o c e e d in g s of t h e Z o o lo g ic a l S o c ie t y o f L o n d o n .’
A review of the genus Ptiloris is given, with a rectification of synonymy, and P. Alberti described for the
first time as distinct from P. magnifica. Species 29.
1871.—S c h l e g e l , ‘ T i j d s c h r i f t voor d e D ie r k u n d e . ’
Sericulus xanthogaster and Ptilonorhynchus inomatus first described as distinct species, from New Guinea.
Species 31.
1872.—E l l io t , ‘ I b i s ;’
A paper upon some of the species of Paradiseidse, in which two genera are described, namely Xanthomelus
and Amblyomis for the Sericulus aureus and Ptilonorhynchus inomatus respectively, and the Sericulus xanthogaster,
Schleg., referred to the genus Chlamydodera, as being the nearest allied to the C. cervineiventris, Gould.
1873.—Sc l a t e r , ‘ P r o c e e d in g s of t h e Zo ological S o c ie ty of L o n d o n . ’
Drepanomis Albertisi and Paradisea Raggiana described. Species 33.
CLASSIFICATION.
To the majority of persons a Bird of Paradise is a creature possessed of a mass of elegant and brightly
coloured waving plumes, these not unfrequently springing from unusual—indeed, almost incredible places. It may
therefore, perhaps, be a subject of surprise that I should include in the family of the Paradiseidse several plain
birds remarkable in no degree for their plumage, and in some instances devoid entirely of that excessive and
often exquisite adornment which the typical members of the family possess in such an eminent degree. But I
believe I am .fully warranted in admitting among the Paradiseidse all the species that are enumerated in this
volume; and although some may not possess altogether the dress of a Bird of Paradise, they nevertheless show
their affinity to them by peculiar habits, and by the exhibition of an unusual economy, not forgetting to mention
also a resemblance in osteological structure.
An unbroken line of arrangement for the Paradiseidse is impossible; for, as is the case with nearly all
ornithological groups, many links in the chain are wanting, and these have to be supplied by more or less
plausible theories. These, however, do not affect to any great degree the reasons that have permitted the species
treated of in this Monograph to be regarded as members of the family. I have deemed it unnecessary to
divide the entire group into more than three subfamilies, viz. Paradiseinse, Epimachinse; and for the third I would
propose the term Tectonarchinae, comprising those species which are in the habit of erecting bowers in which to
disport themselves and exhibit their plumage. The first of these subfamilies contains the typical Birds of Paradise
and their allies, and would be represented by the following genera:—Paradisea, Manucodia, Astrapia, Parotia,
Lophorina, Diphyllodes, Xanthomelus, Cicinnurus, Paradigalla, and Semioptera. The second possesses those species which
are characterized by long, slender, somewhat curved bills; they are:—Epimachus, Drepanomis, Seleucides, and Ptiloris.
And the third is composed of five genera, viz. Sericulus, Ptilonorhynchus, Chlamydodera, AElurcedus, and Amblyomis.
I am well aware that the present arrangement and restriction of the genera and species of the birds constituting
the Paradiseidse is very different from that of any author who has had occasion to treat of the family. With
the majority the genera included above have been widely separated in the various classifications attempted, and
not only have they constituted portions of different families, but they have even been arranged under distinct
Orders. The older authors, such as Linnaeus and Gmelin, knew Comparatively few of the species included in
this Monograph; and the latter placed them all in the genera Paradisea and Upupa of the order Picae. Cuvier
arranges those species that were known to him, some in the genus Paradisea in the family Conirostres of his
Passeraux, and the rest in the fourth family, or Tenuirostres, of the same order. Vieillot has them in the seventh
family of his Anisodactyli, just preceding the Corvidae. Lesson places all the species with which he was acquainted
in the family Paradisei, excepting his genus Phonygama (Manucodia of this work), which he puts in the family
T ianiidae, tribe Dentirostres. Gray, in his great work on the genera of birds, scatters the species included in
this Monograph among various tribes and families. The Paradiseidse he makes the second family of the tribe
Conirostres, and restricts them to seven species—P. apoda, P. minor, P. sanguinea, P. speciosg, P. regia, P. atra,
P. sexpennis, ranging them all under the genus Paradisea; Phonygama is placed among the Corvidae of the same