AYES— BIRD OF PARADISE. 



491 



tnese birds ; but that which is best known is the greater paradise bird, 1 which 

 appears to the eye of the size nearly of a pigeon, though in reality the body 

 is not much larger than that of a thrush. The tail, which is about six inches, 

 is as long as the body ; the wings are large compared with the bird's other 

 dimensions. The head, the throat, and the neck, are of a pale gold color. 

 The base of the bill is surrounded by black feathers, as also the side of the 

 head and throat, are as soft as velvet, and changeable like those of the neck 

 of a mallard. The hinder part of the head is of a shining green, mixed with 

 gold. The body and wings are chiefly covered with beautiful brown, purple, 

 and gold feathers. The uppermost part of the tail feathers is of a pale 

 yellow, and those beneath are white and longer than the former; for which 

 reason the hinder part of the tail appears to be all white. But what chiefly 

 excites curiosity are two long naked feathers, which spring from the upper 

 part of the rump above the tail, and which are usually about two feet long 



These are bearded only at the beginning and the end ; the Avhole shaft, fc 

 about one foot nine inches, being of a deep black, while the feathered ex 

 tremity is of a changeable color, like the mallard's neck. 



This bird is a native of the Molucca Islands, but found in greatest num- 

 bers in that of Arou. The inhabitants are not insensible of the pleasure 

 tney afford, and give them the name of God's birds, as being superior to all 

 that he has made. They live in large flocks, and at night generally perch 

 upon the same tree. They are called by some, the swallows of Ternate 

 from their rapid flight, and from their being continually on the wing in pur- 

 suit of insects, their usual prey. 



1 Paradisea apoda, Lin. The genus Paradisea has the bill of medium size, straight, 

 quadrangular, pointed, a little convex above, compressed : ridge between the feathers of 

 the forehead ; nostrils basal, marginal, open, but entirely concealed by the featf ers ; lege 

 short ; tarsus longer than the middle toe ; lateral toe unequal, the internal one united to 

 the second joint ; back toe longer than the others, robust ; wings with the five long 

 feathers staged ; the sixth or seventh longest. 



