P A R A D I S E A DECORA, s./rm cS
Grey-cliested Bird of l'aiiulisc.
Paradisea decora, Salvi« & Godman, Ibis, 1883, pp. KU, 2(13, pi. v i i i . -Sl i a rpo , in (iould'.s Birds nf Ne w (;„iiK-a
i . p l . 27 ( 1 8 8 r . ) . -D'Hamo n v .BuU. Soc. Zool. Fnuicc, 1880, pp. m , .'iOD.-Tristram, Ibis, IHSU, p.
- S a l v a d . Aggiunte Orn. Papuasia, ii. p. Ifi(l ( 1 8 t ) 0 ) . - D e Vis, Ann. Utp. Mrit. N e w Guinea, p. (il
( 1 8 9 0 ) . - I d . Colonial Papers, ,.o. 103, p. 113 (18! )0) . - Id. Ibis, 1891, p. 37,-Salvad. Ann. Mu-
C i T . c . Genov.(2) x. p. 833 C l 8 ! ) l ) . - I d . Aggiunt e Om. Papuasia, iii. p. 243 ( 1 8 9 1 ) . -SI , a r p c , Bull.
B r i t . Orn. Club, iv. p. xiii ( 1 8 9 4 ) . - I l a r t c r t , Novit. Zool. ii. p. 01 (189: ) ) . -R„lbscl i i l<l , Novit. 7,.,ol
iii. p. 235 (1890).
Paradisea snmmm, Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales , viii. p. 21 (1883) .—Salvad. Ibis, 188.1, p.
T i n s beautiful .species is iin Inliabltuut of Fergu.sson Lsland, one of the D'Entreeastemix group, where it
was (llscovereil by Mr. A. Goklle, a well-known liotanieal collector, who also obtained many fine species of
b i r d s on the mountains of Soi i lh-eastern New Guinea. This liird of I'aradlse, however, is the most splendid
o f his discoveries. It is found, he says, " in the mountains, at a considerahle elevation ahove the sea, the
first specimen obtained having been secured at the lowest point. The plumed uudes ami the younger
i n d i v i d u a l s were generally seen three or four together. Once heard, their call was unmi.stakable, heing
v e r y like that of P. raggiam •, hnt the plumed and wired birds, after giving their call a few tinies, added
t o it a peculiar shrill whistle. Their motions whilst calling were Identical with those of P. rnggiam ;
b u t , so far as we were able to observe, tliey had no particular tree for dancing in. The femak-s were
fouiul alone.
" We neither saw nor heard P. ragginna on these islands ; and the new bird is not foniid on the mainland.
O n showing it to the natives of Chad' s Bay ami China Straits along with a s|)ecimen of /'. raggkna, ihey, in
b o t h cases, made us to understand lhat the latler is fouj i d in their country, whilst P. decura is not; hut'tivo
o r Ihree of them in China Straits who bad traded to the D'Eritrecasteau.x Islands made signs that the
n e w bird was to be found there."
S i n c e the species was discovered in Fergusson Island by M r . Goldie it has been met with by several other
c o l l e c t o r s who have visited the locality. Mr. I3asil Thomson obtained it on Mount Maybole In the liorlh
o f the island, and believed that it was confined to that part only ; but Mr. Albert Meek, who collected in
F e r g u s s o n Island for the Hon. Walter Rothschild, found the species " not rare, but by no means very
n u m e r o u s on the hills of Sout h Fergusson, from about 1500 feet upwards."
P. decora has red oriuunental plumes like P. raggimta, but it is easily distingnishcd by the straw-coloured
b a c k , the absence of a yel low collar on the throat, the grey chest, and the patch of black |ilnmes on each side
o f the abdomen.
T h e following Is a description of the type specimens of P. decora in the British Museum :—
Adult male. General colour above golden straw-colour, a little deeper and more orange on the head and
c a r - c o v e r t s ; wing-coverts light drab-brown, edged with golden straw-coloin-, the lesser and median coverts
b e i n g entirely of the latter colour; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quills light reddish brown, externallv
d r a b or ashy brown, the inner secondaries washed externally with straw-yellow ; tail-feathers pale reddish
b r o w n , washed with ashy, the two long centre feathers consisting of a black harbless shaft; lores aiul
b a s e of forehead, cheeks, and throat metallic green, the upper throat, lores, and fore part of cheeks
a n d throat appearing velvety black under certain lights ; fore-neck and breast lilac-grey, shading off into
v i n a c e o n s grey on the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; the long Ilank-plnmes rich crimson, the feathers
w i t h very few barbs or barbules at the ends, these being hoary whitish ; on each side of the base of the long
p l u m e s a patch of slightly recurved black feathers wiih red bases; under wing-coverts pale vinaceons
g r e y ; quills ashy below, the quill-lining rnddy vinous: " ins yellow" ^ieelc^. Total length 1*3 inches,
c u l i n o n 1-35, wing 7, tail 5'0, tarsus Vl.
Adult female. Wants the ornamental plumes of the male and has a greyer back, with the feathers edged
w i t h dull straw-yellow ; the lores, cheeks, and throat, which are green in the male, are blackish brown in
t h e female ; the rest of the under surface of the body vinous brown, with dusky vermiculations or cross-bars
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