ZOOLOGY. 307 



ces ; thus, for instance, bones must be differently affected according 

 as they are exposed to the open air, or inhumed in a damp or dry 

 soil. 



THE BIRD OF PAKADISE. 



During the past year, two male Birds of Paradise have been added 

 to the collections of the Zoological Gardens, London, the first living 

 specimens ever brought to Europe. They were obtained through the 

 efforts of Mr. Alfred Wallace, the well-known English naturalist, who 

 has published an account of the habits and habitat of these birds. 



The Bird of Paradise species is wholly confined to the New Guinea 

 and Aru Islands of the South Pacific, and to a limited space, more- 

 over, of those countries. Aru consists of a very large central island, 

 and some hundreds of smaller ones scattered around it at various 

 distances, many being of large size, and covered with dense and lofty 

 forests ; yet on not one of these is the Paradisea ever found (although 

 many of them are much nearer New Guinea) ; but it is limited to the 

 large island, and even to its central portions, never appearing upon 

 the sea-coast. In the central forests of Aru it is, however, very 

 abundant, and fills the woods with a loud, harsh, oft-repeated cry of 

 wok, took, wok. Their plumage is in full perfection in May and June, 

 which is the season of pairing. All are then 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 certain 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, con- 

 stantly 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, says Mr. Wallace, been hitherto quite un- 

 known, 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 represented, 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 then opened and spread out in a 

 fan-like mass, completely overshadowing the whole bird. The effect of 

 this is inexpressibly beautiful. The long, 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 splendor above, from which 

 more brilliant colors would distract our attention ; while the pale yel- 

 low head, swelling throat of rich metallic green, and bright golden 

 eye, give vivacity and life to the whole figure. Above, rise the in- 

 tensely-shining, orange-colored plumes, richly marked with a stripe of 

 deep red, and opening out with the most perfect regularity into broad, 

 waving feathers of airy down ; every filament which terminates them 

 distinct, yet waving and curving, and closing upon each other with 



