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DIPHYLLODES SELEUCIDES, Less.
Lesson's Bird of Paradise.
Le Mamicodc () boniptet, on le Ma^nifique, Le Vaill. Ois. Farad, i. pis. 9, 10 (180G).
Mmjmjicent Paradise-Bkd, Lath. Geu. Hist. iii. p. 189, pi. xW. (1822).
Dtphylhdes sekticides, Lesson, Ois. Parad. pp. IC, 191, pis. 19, 20 (1835).—Sharpe, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, iv.
p. xiii (1894).—Sahad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov. (2) xvi. p. I l l (1896).
? DiphjUodes magnifidis, Lesson, Corapl. RufF., Ois. p. 4f)6 (1838).
TOW-MIDS the end of the year 1895, Mr. Duiistall, to whom the JJritish Museum owes many fine acquisitions
from New Guinea, lirouglit for my inspection a large nuinher of skins of Dipliijllodes, whicii had heeii sent
over to this country for the decoration of hidies' hats. There were over a hundred of tliese skins, and
among tliem were one or two specimens of D. moginfica, but tiie hulk consisted of a form of Diphjllodes
which I had not seen before.
The sjicciuieus were believed to have come fi-om t!ie Arfak district, but the actual locality was uuktiown to
Mr. Dmistall. Instead of having pale oclire-coloured wings, the latter were yellow, and tliis colour was
very fairly constant in the large scries examined by me. Although in a few examples a tendency to orange
on the wings was exiiibited, none of these approached the deep colour of D. clmjsoptera or D. humte'mi.
Altlioiigh it is very difficult to deterniiiie the species figured in the works of the old authors, I believe
that we may safely attach to this Arfak bird the name of D. seleucidcs of Lesson ; and doubtless some of the
synonymy placed under the heading of D. magitrfica really belongs to D. sdeuvidcs, but it is impossible to
determine this j)oint at the jjresent day.
The existence of this race of Diphyltodes was known to Count Salvadori, who had some specimens before
him from Andai and Mount Arfak when he was writing the ' Ornitologia della Papuasia,' and he remarked on
the brighter colour of the wings in the males from these localities, which showed an appi-oach to
D. clirysoptera of Jobi Island. A\ hcther a complete connection will some day be found between the three
species i)f Dipliiillodrs which inhabit North-western New Guinea, can oidy be proved by some naturalist who
is fortunate enough to have tiu)e and opportunity to follow np the exact distribution of these birds.
The ])reseut species, as will be seen from the figures in the Plate, is very similar to D. magnifca, but
dilTers, as has been ])ointed out above, in the richer yellow colour of its wings. The specimens figured are
in the British Museum.