lANTHOTHORAX BENSBACHII, bm.
Bensbach's Bird of Paradise.
lanthothorax bensiachii, Biittik. Notes Leydeu Mas. xvi. p. 103 (1894).—Sharpe, Bull. lirit. Om. Club,
p. xii (1894).
T H E type specimen of this species, which Dr. Biittikofer has riglitly recognized as belonging to a
distinct genus of Paradiseidm, is in tiie Leyden Museum, where I examirjed it in 1805. The genus is
nearly allied to Ptilorhis and Craspedophora, and has the flank-feathers developed as in those genera; hut it
lacks the metallic hreast-shield of these latter, from which lanthothorax is further (listinguished hv its
elongated central tail-feathers, which are metallic. As Dr. Biittikofer has pointed out, moreover, it has the
first primary emarginate near the end of the inner web, as in Astrapiaimi\ I'arotia.
The home of this beautiful species is said to be in the Arfak range of mountains in North-western New
Guinea, and the type S|)ccimen was jiresented to the Leyden Museum by Mr. J . Bensbach, the Dutch
Resident at Ternate, in wliose honour the species has been named by Dr. Biittikofer.
The type specimen described below is imt quite fully adult, having a few brown immature feathers left.
Adult male. General colour above purplish black, with dark steel-green and pur|]lisli gloss when held awav
from the light; the lower back and rump apparently of the same colour as the back in the adidt bird, but
in the present specimen these parts are sandy brown; wings apparently black in full [iluniage, with a
gloss of metallic green, but the wing-coverts sandy brown and the quills bronzy brown, the innermost
secondaries paler brown towards the ends; upper tail-coverts steel-green ; tail-feathers bronzy brown,
externally metallic steel-green, with black shafts, but the green more of an oily shade; crown of head
metallic oily or golden green, with steel-green and even bronzy reflections ; sides of face and throat
also metallic green, inclining to steel-blue on the throat, the lower throat scaly in appearance, more
bronzy green, with purplish and even leaden-green reflections ; fore-neck and breast pur|ilish black, forming
an ill-defined shield ; the abdomen browner, but glossed with pin-plish black ; fiank-feathers close-sct and
long, dark brown, the longer feathers with elongated points, on which the barbs are very ujuch dissociated :
bill and feet black ; iris red {Bensbach). Total length 13 inches, culmen 175, wing 6 7 , tail 4 7 5 , centre
tail-feathers 8, tarsus I'O.
The figure in the Plate is copied from a painting of the type specimen by Mr. Kculemans.
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