502 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY, 



svill then assume various attitudes, so as to regard its plumage in 

 every direction. Having completed his toilet, he utters the usual 

 cawing notes, at the same time looking archly at the spectators, as if 

 ready to receive all the iidmiration that it considers its elegant form 

 and display of plumage demand. It then takes exercise by hopping 

 in a rapid but graceful manner from one end of the upper perch to 

 the other, and descends suddenly upon the second perch, close to the 

 bars of the cage, looking out for the grasshoppers, which it is accus- 

 tomed to receive about this time." 



Vanity and egotism, as usually developed, are exceedingly offen- 

 sive and distasteful ; but w^hen w^e see a delicate creature, so richly 

 embellished, so neat and cleanly in its habits, so fastidious in its 

 tastes, so scrupulously exact in its observances, and so winning in all 

 its ways, as to etherealize the commonest actions, they become not 

 only endurable, but amusing, and even enjoyable. And if a bird, in a 

 state of hopeless captivity, exhibits such marked traits of character, 

 acts out so truthfully the promptings qf its nature, shows so evidently 

 its desire to please, and possesses so nice an appreciation of being ad- 

 mired, how perfect must be all its ways and actions, as developed in 

 the pure, bright air, fragrant groves, and luxuriant surroundings of 

 its native haunts ! 



The Red Bird-of-Paradise {Paradisea rubra, Vieillot) is about as 

 large as the preceding, and in many respects resembles it. The 

 feathers on the head and neck are short and dense. Those around the 

 bill, on the face, and top of the head, including the two crests, are 

 velvety and black, appearing green when viewed in a different direc- 

 tion ; those on the throat and front half of the neck are of a bright, 

 deep green ; those on the shoulders, upper wing-coverts, back of the 

 neck, and across the upper part of the breast, are of a golden yellow. 

 Lines drawn from the eye to the throat, to the back of the head, and 

 down the sides of the neck, and curved to a point at its lower part in 

 front, would nearly coincide with the limits of the colors. The wings, 

 tail, and belly, are of a deep chocolate-brown ; the breast being of a 

 little darker color. From each side below the shoulder proceeds a 

 tuft of loose, plumy feathers, about a foot long, of a beautiful, deep 

 carmine color, slightly tipped wdth white. From the upper part of 

 the tail arise two black, slender, ribbon-like shafts, about two feet 

 long, and nearly one-fourth of an inch wide, without any web, and 

 toward the end inclining to curl. 



The King Bird-of-Paradise {Cicinnurus regius, Linnaeus), called 

 by the Papuans Saya, is about as large as the thrush ; but the male 

 bird has a tail so short as to give it a jaunty appearance. It is not 

 fond of tall trees, but keeps mostly among the small bushes, seeking 

 berries and other food. It is a solitary bird, and very beautiful. As 

 it is sometimes found with other species of the same family, and yet 

 keeps somewhat aloof from them, it was formerly supposed to be their 



