SECONDARY SEXUAL CHARACTERS 



109 



The female is modestly clothed. In the male of the 

 superb bird of paradise (Fig. 56), the mantle behind 

 the neck, when erected, forms a striking ornament ; 

 and on the breast there is a brilliant metallic shield. 

 In the six-shafted bird of paradise (Fig. 57) the 

 male has on its head six feathers with wiry shafts, 



Fig. 57. — Six-shafted bird of paradise. 

 (After Elliot.) 



ornaments that occur in no other birds. In the king 

 bird of paradise there are^ remarkable fans at the 

 sides of the body of the male that can be expanded. 

 The feathers of the fan are emerald-tipped. The 

 two middle feathers of the tail are drawn out into 

 ''wires" with a green web at one side of the tip. 



In mammals, secondary sexual differences are very 



