BIRDS-OF-PARADISE. 559 



During the dry weather of the northwestern monsoon, in our 

 autumn and winter, many of the birds leave Papua and go west to 

 the Arroo group ; but, upon the commencement of the wet weather 

 of the southeastern monsoon, in our sj^ring, they immediately return 

 to Papua. They usually fly, on these occasions, in flocks of thirty or 

 forty, with a reputed leader. Their moulting-time is from May to 

 August, during the southeastern monsoon. On account of the diffi- 

 culty of managing their enormously-lengthened, gossamer-like plu- 

 mage, they usually face the wind, whether flying or sitting. In pro- 

 ceeding from one place to another, they are often distressed by sudden 

 shiftings of the wind ; and, being unable to proceed in their flight 

 against it, or go with safety before it, they are sometimes thrown to 

 the ground. In tempestuous weather they seek the most sheltered 

 retreats of the thickest woods. Although very active and sprightly, 

 they are exceedingly shy and retiring in their habits. The false ideas 

 that they were footless, lived ever on the wing, or occasionally rested 

 suspended by the tail ; fed on the dew ; reared their young on the 

 shoulders of the male, and came from the terrestrial paradise, have 

 all had their day, but are too absurd to be more than alluded to now. 



The Greater Paradise-Bird [Paradisea apoda)^ frequently called 

 the Emerald Bird of Paradise, is smaller than the crow. Linnaeus 

 gave the specific name apoda to this bird, which was generally and 

 erroneously called footless, to designate the species, not to perpetuate 

 the error. This bird seeks the thickest foliage of the loftiest trees, in 

 which to remain concealed during the day. The feathers on the head, 

 throat, and neck, are very short and dense. Those round the base of 

 the bill, and on the face, are velvety and black, changing their color 

 to green, as the direction of the light changes ; those on the throat, 

 the front half of the neck, and the upper part of the breast, are of a 

 bright, deep, emerald green ; those on the head, back of the neck, and 

 the shoulders, are of a light, golden yellow. The eye is at the com- 

 mon point between these colors. If lines were drawn from it to the 

 throat, to the forehead, and down the sides of the neck, and curved 

 to a point on the breast, they would indicate very well the limits of 

 the colors. The back, wings, tail, and belly, are of a bright, red- 

 dish chestnut, the breast being a little darker, and inclining to pur- 

 ple. From each side beneath the wings proceed a large number of 

 long, floating, graceful plumes, some eighteen inches in length, of ex- 

 ceeding delicacy of texture and appearance. These extend far beyond 

 the tail-feathers, which are about six inches long, and " their translu- 

 cent golden-white vanelets produce a most superb effect, as they cross 

 and recross each other, forming every imaginable shade of white, gold, 

 and orange, and then deepening toward their extremities into a soft, 

 purplish red." From the upper part of the tail proceed two black 

 shafts or filaments, some eighteen inches long, appearing like small 

 wires, about one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter. The female has no 



