H: ¡h» ^c/ r! M.
AST RAPI A NIGRA (G/«.).
G o i - f f e t e d Bi r d of Paradise.
Gorgei Paradise Bird, Lath. Ind. Oni. i. p. 478, pl. 20 (1782).
Poraiii'sM »»yra, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 401 (1788).—Schl. J. f. O. 18C1, p. .'WO.—Id. Dicreiit. p. 171 (187i, cum
%•)•
raradisea gukris, Latli. Ind. Orii. i. p. 196 (17i)0).—Shaw, Gen. ZHOI. vii. p. 501, pis, 01), 70(1809).
Le Hausse-col dori, Aiideb. et Vieill. Ois. Dor. ii. p. 22, ])ls. 8, i) (1802).
L'Oiseau de Paradis à (forge d'or, Sonnini, ed. Buffon, ix. p. 23 (I80(i).
La Pie ds Paradis, ou ïIncomparahle, Levaill. Ilist. Nat. Ois. Farad, i. pis. 20, 22 (1800).
Astrapia gularis,Y\à\l N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. iii. p. 37 (IHIO).—Id. Gai. Ois. i. p. 103, pl. 107 (1823).—Less. Man.
d'Orn. i. p. 3!)7 (1828).—Id. Traité d'Orn. p. 388 (1831).—Id. Ois. l'arad. Syn. p. 18 (183.''.).—Id.
Hist. Nat. p. 100, pis. 31-23 (1835).—Swains. Classif. 13. ii. p. 08 (1837).—Ilosenb. Nat. 'l'ijdsclir.
Nederl. Ind. xxv. p. 247 (1803).—Id. J. f. O. 1804, p. 131.—Id. Reist. naar GecWinkb. pp. 102, 111
(1876).—Bcccari, Ann. Mus. Gen. -vii. p. 711 (1875).—Saivad. t. c. p. 8S)9.—Sel. Ibis, 1870, p. 2.1!».—
Rosenb. Malay. Arch. p. 558 (1879).
Merle de la Nouvelle Guinée, Cuv. Règn. An. i. p. 35.î (1817).
Lamprotornis gularis, Temm. Man. d'Orn. i. p. Ivi (1820).—Ranz. Elem. di Zool. iii. pt. 4, p. 81, t. xvi. fig. 1
(1822).—Wagl. Syst. Av. Paradisea, sp. 1 (1827).
Astrapia nigra, Staph, in Shaw' s Gen. Zool. xiv. pt. 2, p. 75 (1820) .—Gray, Geu. B. ii. p. 203 (1840) .—Bp. Consp. Av
i. p. 414 (1850),—Scl. .Tourn. Linn. Soc. ii. p. 164 (1858).—Gray, P. Z. S. 1808, p. 194.—Id. Cat. B. New
Guin. pp. 30, 59 (1859).—Id. P. Z. S. 1861, p. 430.—Wall. P. Z. S. 1862, p. 154.—Finsch, Neu-Guin.
p. 173 (186i>).—Wall. Malay Arch. ii. p. 157 (1809).—Elliot, Mon. Parad. pi. ix. (1873).—Saivad.
Ann. Mus. Genov. vii. p. 782 (1875), ix. p. 1!)0 (1870).—Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. iii. p. 103
(1877).—Gould, B. New Guinea, i. ph 17 (1878).—Eudes-Dcslongch. Ann. Mus. d'llist. Nat. Caen,
i. p. 18 (1880).—Saivad. Orn. Papuasia, etc. ii. p. 535 (1881).—Cory, Beautiful and Curious Birds,
part iv. (1832).—Musschenbr. Dagboek, pp. 194, 227 (1883).—Rosenb. Mitth. orn. Ver. Wien, 1888,
p. 40.—Guillem. P. Z. S. 1885, p. 048.—D'llamonv. Bull. Soc. Zool. France, xi. p. 509 (1880).—Saivad.
Agg. Orn. Papuasia, ii. p. 151 (1890).
Epimachus niger, Schl. Mus. Pays-Bas, Coraces, p. 94 (1807).—Id. Nederl. Tijdschr. Dierk. iv. pp. 17, 49 (1871).
LIKE most of the genera of the Paradiseidts, this extraordinary hircl stands apart from the others, and
presents us with characters wliich are found in no other genus of this wonderful family. The iorjg tail has
suggested to many ornithologists tliat the species must be allied to the long-tailed Epimachi or Sickle-hilled
B i r L of Paradise, and in my arrangement of the family I have placed it next to those birds; hut the short
and stout bill sliows that it must he classed with the true liirds of Paradise, and not with the Ephnacki. I5y the
possession of a ruff on the head, it also shows itself a true Paradise-bird, and the other ornamental developments
of the plumage also demonstrate that it is more allied to the latter than to the Sickle-hills.
Although it is only in recent years that perfect specimens of this wonderful bird have reached Europe,
it has been known from skins of native preparation for one hundred years. The first specimen described
appears to have been acquired by Sir Joseph Banks during his voyage with Captain Cook ; but the
original specimen has disappeared, and is not in the Banksiau collection at the British Mu.seum of the
present day.
The range of the species seems to be limited to the mountains of the North-western portion of New
Guinea, thougli many of the recent visitors to that portion of tlie great Papuan island did not obtain
specimens. Neither Wallace nor D'Albertis met with it, hut Beceari and Guillemard procured examples.
Baron von Rosenberg also got a few speci.nens, aiul several perfect skins of both sexes have been sold
in Europe during the last twenty years, doubtless procured by tlie Inn.ters employed by the late
Mr. Bruiju of Teníate. It has also been said to inhabit tlie island of Jobi, but apparently on lusufficient
evidence.
The native name is given as • Haroma' or ' Aroma' by Beceari and Guillemard. The latter gentleman
o b s e r v e s T h e natives say that they do not think that this bird is really much less abundant than the
Epimachus, although so few skins are ever obtained. They are found in the same district as the latter bird, and.