P R E F A C E .
PBIKTKD Blf 1
THE Birds of Paradise have always attracted groat attention among lovers of natnre, on
account of their extraordinary form and beautit'id decoration; tliey have, therefore, heen
frequently monographed aud figured. Since Dr. A. R. Wallacc first pul)lished his notes on tlie
habits of these beautiful birds in his ' Malay Arehi])elago,' many new forms liave been discovered
in the great island of New Guinea, some of them being still more remarkaliie I'or their
fantastic plumage aud cm'ious habits than those wliieh were known to him ; and even during
the progress of the present work some really startling species have been brought to light,
which have obhged the publishers to extend the scope of the work beyond the oiiginal
limits proposed.
A few of the Plates have been reproduced from Goidd's ' Birds of New Guinea,' l)ut a gi'cat
number of s|)ecies are here figured for the first time, and in the ' Introduction ' 1 have given a
complete list of the genera and species at present known.
I am extremely grateful to the Hon. Walter Rothschild for the loan of many specimens from
his Museum at Tring; and I have also to thaiJi Mr. C W. De Vis, tlic Dircetoi' of the
Queensland Museum, for the opportunity of figuring some of the new species discovered in
British New Guiuea by Sir William MacGregor. I nuist also express my ol)Hgations to Count
Salvadori, Dr. A. B. Meyer, Mr. E. Ilurtert, and other friends for much kindly advice and
assistance; and it is with sincere grief for the loss of my Meutor in ornithology, that I liave
to acknowledge the help which I received from my old friend Mr. Osbert Salvin, one of
whose last actions was to look oyer the proofs of the ' Introduction ' aud ' Appendix ' to the
present work.
With the exception of a few species drawn by Mr. Kculcmans from specimens in foreign
Museums, the whole of the Plates have been prepared by Jlr. W. Hart, so well known for his
long and honourable association as artist for Mr. Goidd's ornithological works.
R. BOWDLER SHARPE.
Ohiswidi, June 2(1, 1898.