132 STOJUES ABOUT BIRDS. 



quite a frolic at the top of the tree, and fly about and wave their splendid 

 plumes until the tree seems alive with them. 



But the native, from his little green hut below, has watched all their 

 movements. His arrows have blunt points to them, for he does not wish to 

 ruffle the plumage of the bird ; and he takes aim, and shoots at one of the 

 merry, frolicsome group. I'he poor bird falls stunned to the ground, and then 

 it is picked up and killed. When the native has killed as many as he can 

 carry, he takes them home to his hut. 



He is a native bird-stuffer, and he dries and prepares the body so that it 

 shrinks almost to nothing. But the beautiful plumes display themselves to 

 great advantage. Then, when all are ready, he sells the birds to the traders 

 who stop at the island. 



There are many different kinds of birds, all clad ^in the most brilliant 

 costume, that live in the deep forests of New Guinea, and have never been 

 seen alive by the white man. In that part of the world they are as common 

 as the blackbird and the thrush are with us — and there only are they found. 



THE GOLDFINCH. 



There is a family of bright, cheerful, active little birds, that are favourites 

 with everybody. They have short, thick, and very strong bills, that are 

 employed without ceasing from morning till night. Both parts of the beak 

 are thick alike, and exactly the same size, so that when the bill is closed it 

 looks like a short cone, and it opens very wide. 



Some of the family have beaks as large as their heads ; but these are 

 tropical relations of our own finch, and are never seen in England. 



We have many kinds of finches in England. They wear different 

 costumes, and are admired for their clean, neat, bright appearance, and the 

 pleasant song they can sing. They have a very great amount of intelligence 

 and docility, and can be taught all kinds of amusing tricks. 



The goldfinch is the prince of his tribe, and by far the most admired of 

 any. He is a rather slender bird, with a beak of moderate thickness. He 



