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wanting only in Aru, Salwatty, and Waigiou. The next most widely spread species is P. magnifica, occurring in two islands (Salwatty and Mysol) as well as on the mainland. The other species are all found on the mainland only — with the exception of P. apoda (probably restricted to Aru), and P. rubra, which, being certainly confined to the small island of Waigiou, offers the most restricted range of the whole family.

It is interesting to remark that all the islands on which true Paradiseœ are found are connected by banks of soundings to the mainland of New Guinea. The hundred-fathom line includes the islands of Aru, Mysol, Waigiou, and Jobie, which have probably been, at no distant geological period, connected with New Guinea; while Ké, Ceram, &c., are separated from it by deep sea, and on them no Paradiseœ exist.

The island of Gilolo, on which the genus Semioptera occurs, extends towards Waigiou, and has the island of Guebe exactly between the two, suggesting the probability of a connexion there; but the depth of the intervening sea is unknown.

It may be considered as certain that every species of Paradise-Bird yet obtained from the natives has come from the north peninsula of New Guinea, that being the part most frequented by the Malay traders. The vast extent of country east of long. 136° is quite unknown; but there can be little doubt that it contains other and perhaps yet more wonderful forms of this beautiful group of birds. If we look round the whole circumference of the globe, we shall be unable to find a region at once so promising to the naturalist and so absolutely a "terra incognita" as this great tropical land; and it is to be hoped that our explorers and naturalists may soon be induced to direct their attention to this hitherto neglected country.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Remarks in reference to the Gracula pectoralis of Mr. Wallace.

By G. R. Gray.

MR. WALLACE has lately described an interesting bird under the appellation of Gracula pectoralis, which bird had been previously recorded by Lesson, under the name of Sericulus anais, from a specimen in M. Bourcier's collection. Lesson gives a correct description (Revue de Zool. 1839, p. 44) of the bird, so far as a mutilated New-Guinean skin would permit.

The late Prince C. L. Bonaparte, in 1850, refers to Lesson's species in his ‘Conspectus Avium,’ but in his very short notice of it he unfortunately uses the word abdomine when it ought to have been pectore, and thus this misapplication of a word has caused a difficulty in defining the bird. This mistake he also continued in the ‘Comptes Rendus,’ 1853, page 831, though he there gave a new and more lengthened description. At the same time he proposed it as the type of a new division, under the name of Melanopyrrhus.

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In 1850, Mr. Cassin unknowingly described this bird under the new name of Pastor nigrocinctus (Proc. Acad. Philad. 1850, p. 68). The description, he informs us, was taken from two specimens — one in the Albany Museum, U.S., and the other in the Philadelphian Academy. The fact of the similarity of this species with that of Lesson was first pointed out by Dr. Sclater (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1857, p. 6). It is one of the birds which I had, in my 'List of Genera,' published in 1855, "so quietly recapitulated," as the learned Editor of 'The Ibis,' (1862, p. 291) is pleased to remark, "with the dry interrogatory, 'Nonne avis arte facta?'" I was induced to affix this observation from the appearance presented in my drawing, which was taken from M. Bourcier's typical specimen. It is now proved, in part at least, that I was not altogether wrong in supposing that the art of the taxidermist had been employed in endeavouring to replace by artificial means what the New-Guinean natives had deprived the three previously known specimens of, — for example, their wings and legs. The false restoration of these organs was the cause of a wrong position being assigned to the bird in regard to the family it occupied in the system of ornithology. Mr. Wallace's perfect specimens prove that the true wings and legs are very similar to those of the genus Gracula, both in form and colour; and it appears to be intermediate between the genera Gracula and Basilornis, being allied to the latter in its more slender-formed bill.

The name and synonyma of this fine and singularly coloured bird will now stand as follows: —

Gracula (Melanopyrrhus) Anais.

Sericulus Anais, Less., Rev. de Zool. 1839, p. 44; Pr. Bon., Consp. Av. i. p. 349.
Melanopyrrhus Anais, Pr. Bon., Compt. Rend. 1853, p. 831; G. R. Gray, List of Gen. 1855, p. 46.
Pastor nigrocinctus, Cass., Proc. Acad. Philad. 1850, p. 68.
?Oriolus Anais, G. R. Gray, Gen. of B. App. p. 11; id. Cat. of Birds of N. Guin. p. 26.
Gracula pectoralis, Wall., Proc. Z. S. 1862, p. 166. pl. 20.
Hab. New Guinea (Wall.).

The Gorilla. By THOMAS J. MOORE.

A statement, resting upon no reliable authority, lately appeared in the Liverpool newspapers, announcing the arrival and exhibition in this port of a young living specimen of a Gorilla.

This announcement, having been copied into the 'Times,' and continuing to be copied into various other papers, being absolutely untrue, it becomes necessary to give it an unqualified contradiction.

The so-called Gorilla is simply a Chimpanzee, standing somewhat over two feet in height, and having the large ears, flesh-coloured muzzle, with white hairs on the chin, and the deeply cleft fingers so characteristic of the species.

It is a robust, lively, and amusing creature, imitating its keeper