MANUCODIA KE T^AUDF^E N I
K ERA U D R E F S MANUCODE.
PHONYGAMA KERAUDRENI, Leas. Man. d'Ora. (1838) tom. i. p. 141.—id. Voy. Coquille ( 1826) , texte, voL i. p. 636.—Gray, Gen. o f Birds
. C1845) , T91- “• p., 303. sp. 2.—Less. Traité d’Ornith. (1831) p. 344. sp. 3.—Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. (I8 6 0 ) p. 368— Roaenb. Joum. for
Omithi (1 864) p.‘ 123.
BARITA KERAUDRENI, Less. Voy. Coquille, Atlas, t. 13.
MANUCODIA KERAUDRENI, Gray, Hand-1. Birds, partii. (1870) p. 17. sp. 6258.—Id. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1859) p. 168. sp. 50, (1 861) p.
436.—Gould, B/Au str., Supply pi.
CHALYBEUS CORNUTUS, Cuv. Règn. Anim. (1829) vol. i. p. 354.—Gould, Voy. Rattlesnake, vol. ii. p. 357.
CHALYBEUS KERAUDRENI, Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas (1867), p. 120.
PHONYGAMA LESSONIA, Swains. Class. Birds, vol. ii. p. 264. ,
MANUCODIA GOULDI, G. R. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1859) p. 168, note.—Gould, Hand-b. Birds Austr. vol. i. p. 236. Gray, Hand-1. Birds,
■ part. ii. (1870) p. 17. sp. 6259.:
H a b . New Guinea, Australia.
T h i s singular bird was first described by Lesson, who. procured it in New Guinea during the voyage of the
‘ Coquille; ’ and'it was figured and described in the splendid work published on the return of that expedition. It
is remarkable, among other characters, for the plumes which spring in tufts from each side of the head, form in g
a kind of double demi-crest. , But the most extraordinary part of the bird’s organization is. the trachea, or windpipe,
which is seventeen inches and a half in length, and formed of a hundred to a hundred and twenty
cartilaginous rings. “ On leaving the lungs it is directed first to the sternum, upon the outer edge of which
it is bent to descend outwardly, and back upon the abdomen above the muscles which constitute this part, and
under the teguments which invest the skin. There the tracheal artery turns, ascends for about an inch,
immediately returns, forming a little handle ; and the tube, embracing the preceding part, redescends and forms
in winding again an entire circle, which thus unites itself to the external edge of the first circle, forming upon
the soft parts of the abdomen a thick platform, composed of three back-tums of the trachea and reunited by the
membranous parts. The air-tube continues to ascend upon the sternum, the length of the neck uniting as usual
to the branches ,of the os hyoides at the root , of the tongue. The conformation of this organ, of which we are
unacquainted with any analogue among birds,1 if we except something similar in the Swan and Hocco, permits
the Phonygame to modulate its notes, as may be done with the French horn; also this bird is gifted with a
song essentially musical. The notes ‘ that the P. keraudrerii raises in the depths of the forests of New Guinea
prevent it from being confounded with any other species of,bird. They are clear, distinct, and sonorous, and pass,
successively through nearly all the notes o f . the gamut; our. sailors called it the Whistling bird. But, suspicious
and rare,'we were only able to procure two individuals of this bird, in the great trees which border the harbour
of Dorey where we were anchored. The Papous of Dorey. called it mominSme, and those of Rony issape.”
The Australian form of this species was separated by Mr. G. R. Gray, and the name of M. gouldi given
to it, on account of a slight difference in the hue of the plumage—the New-Guinea bird having, more of a
purple reflection, while the Australian is inclined to a greenish hue. I do not believe that there is more than
one species; -and I think that when we become better acquainted both with the species and the countries it
inhabits, we shall find the two styles ranging into one another.
As the M. keraudreni is a species of considerable rarity, nothing is known of its economy and habits.
General colour green, with purple reflections. Feathers of the head short and compressed as in the members
of the genus Paradisea. On either side of the occiput spring two slender tufts of lengthened feathers, of the
same colour as the head. Feathers of the neck and throat greatly lengthened, of a lanceolate form, descending over
the upper part of the back and breast. Wings rich purple, primaries purplish brown. Tail blue, with a beautiful
purple gloss. Feet and bill black.