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Show 1873.] SURGEON DAY ON BUCHANAN'S ' FISHES OF BENGAL.' 743 this bird to the Meeting. It is evidently a male specimen in full plumage; and I propose for it the name Epimachus ellioti. This species differs from the Grand Promerops (E. magnus) of Cuvier (of which I exhibit two specimens for comparison) in several respects. It is about one third less in size ; and instead of being bluish green on the back and tail, the head, wings, and tail of this bird are beautifully illuminated with an amethyst colour; the plumage is also much thicker and more velvety in texture, probably even more so than any other species of the whole group. The breast is greenish ; and on the chest is a line of indefinite tertiary shades. A line of steel-blue crosses the pectoral plumes, which are otherwise of a deep black. The back in this species is of a plain amethyst shade, and is not marked with spots as in E. magnus. The upper mandible is 2 inches long : the entire length from beak to end of tail 22 inches; whereas E. magnus is often 40 inches. The two gorgeous central feathers of E. ellioti measure 16 inches. Tail-feathers twelve in number, as in E. magnus. It is a custom of the natives of New Guinea to dismember their birds when preparing the skins; and in this specimen the legs and primary feathers are wanting. In general form this bird resembles E. magnus. Of the haunts and habits of this bird I regret to say I cannot at present learn any thing. The unique specimen referred to in this paper has been added to Mr. Gould's splendid collection, and will, I believe, be figured in his forthcoming work, ' The Birds of N e w Guinea.' An illustration of this bird by Mr. Wolf will appear in ' Elliot's Birds of Paradise.' I beg leave also to exhibit a curious parasite taken from the breast of Elliot's Epimachus. In form this creature more resembles a sheep-tick than a bird-louse. I have before now seen similar parasites, especially on E. magnus. I believe the parasites of Birds of Paradise remain as yet undescribed. 6. Extracts from the late Dr. Buchanan's ' Fishes of Bengal/ with Remarks. By Surgeon-Major F R A N C I S D A Y . [Received October 14, 1873.] It is with much pleasure that I am able to inform the Zoological Society that the long-missing papers of Dr. Buchanan on natural history have at last been discovered, and that I have been permitted to take copies of those relating to the ichthyology of Bengal. Dr. W . W . Hunter, the Director-General of Statistics, when leaving England this year, was allowed by the Secretary of State for India to bring to this country the twenty-eight volumes of Dr. Buchanan's original manuscripts which have lain so long in the India Office, and which contain a detailed account of his statistical, zoological, and botanical investigations in districts under the Presidency of Bengal between the years 1803 and 1813. |
