THE PACIFIC OCEAN. ' 207 



■work, into which are wrought feathers, in the fame man- '77^- 



, , , January. 



ner as upon the cloaks, though rather clofer, and lefs diver- 

 fified ; the greater part being red, with fome black, yellow, 

 or green ftripes, on the fides, following the curve diredion 

 of the creft. Thcfe, probably, complete the drefs, with 

 the cloaks ; for the natives, fometinies, appeared in both 

 together. 



We were at a lofs to gucfs from whence they could get 

 fuch a quantity of thefe beautiful feathers ; but were foon 

 informed, as to one fort ; for they afterward brought great 

 numbers of fkins of fmall red birds for fale, which were often 

 tied up in bunches of twenty or more, or had a fmall 

 wooden flcewer run through their noilrils. At the firll, 

 thofe that were bought, conftlted only of the flcin from be- 

 liind the wings forward ; but we, afterward, got many wiih 

 'the hind part, including the tail and feet. The firll, how- 

 ever, flruck us, at once, with tlie origin of the fable for- 

 merly adopted, of the birds of paradile wanting legs ; and fuf- 

 ficicntly explained that circumllance. Probably the people 

 of the iflands Eaft of the Moluccas, from whence the Ikins 

 of the birds of paradife are brought, cut off their feet, for 

 the very reafon afligncd by the people of Atooi, for the like 

 practice; which was, that they hereby can preferve them 

 with greater eafe, without lofing any part which they 

 reckon valuable. The red-bird of our ifland, was judged by 

 Mr. Anderfon to be a fpecies of merops., about the fize of a 

 fparrow J of a beautiful fcarlet colour, with a black tail and 

 wings ; and an arched bill, twice the length of the head, 

 which, with the feer, was alfo of a reddifh colour. The 

 contents of the heads were taken our, as in the birds of pa- 

 radife ; but it did not appear, that they ufed any other 

 method to preferve them, than by fimple drying; for the 



ikins. 



