412 Mr. A. R. Wallace on the great Bird of Paradise. 



swollen, which displays to great advantage the dense, scaly, 

 metallic plumage. The flesh, as might be expected, is dry, 

 tasteless, and very tough — to be eaten only in necessity. By 

 far the greater number of the birds I have opened have had their 

 stomachs full of fruit, and this seems to be their usual and 

 favourite food. At times, however, they seek after insects, prin- 

 cipally Orthoptera ; and I have found one of the largest of the 

 Phasmidse almost entire in the stomach of a full-plumaged bird. 

 It is only for two or three months of the year, during the 

 height of the east monsoon, that the natives obtain them ; and 

 this circumstance has no doubt led to the statement that they 

 are migratory in Aru, arriving from New Guinea at the end of 

 the west, and returning there again at the end of the east mon- 

 soon — which is quite incorrect, as they are permanent residents 

 in Aru, and the natives know nothing about their being found 

 in New Guinea. About April, when the change from the west 

 to the east monsoon occurs, the Paradiseas begin to show the 

 ornamental side feathers, and in May and June they have mostly 

 arrived at their full perfection. This is probably the season of 

 pairing. They are in a state of excitement and incessant activity, 

 and the males assemble together to exercise, dress and display 

 their magnificent plumage. For this purpose they prefer cer- 

 tain lofty, large-leaved forest-trees (which at this time have no 

 fruit), and on these, early in the morning, from ten to twenty 

 full-plumaged birds assemble, as the natives express it, " to play 

 and dance." They open their wings, stretch out their necks, 

 shake their bodies, and keep the long golden plumes opened and 

 vibrating — constantly changing their positions, flying across and 

 across each other from branch to branch, and appearing proud 

 of their activity and beauty. The long, downy, golden feathers 

 are, however, displayed in a manner which has, I believe, been 

 hitherto quite unknown, but in which alone the bird can be seen 

 to full advantage, and claim our admiration as the most beautiful 

 of all the beautiful winged forms which adorn the earth. Instead 

 of hanging down on each side of the bird, and being almost 

 confounded with the tail (as I believe always hitherto repre- 

 sented, and as they are, in fact, carried during repose and flight), 

 they are erected vertically over the back from under and behind 

 the wing, and there opened and spread out in a fan-like mass, 

 completely overshadowing the whole bird. The effect of this is 

 inexpressibly beautiful. The large, ungainly legs are no longer 

 a deformity — as the bird crouches upon them, the dark brown 

 body and wings form but a central support to the splendour 

 above, from which more brilUant colours would distract our 

 attention, — while the pale yellow head, swelling throat of rich 

 metallic green, and bright golden eye, give vivacity and life to 



