210 CONIROSTRES. 



present the most siiio-ular forms, and give their pos- 

 sessors a very peculiar appearance. In most cases 

 they are adorned witli brilliant colours. The Birds 

 of Paradise are confined to a very limited portion 

 of the earth^s surface, namely, New Guinea and 

 the neighbouring islands. Amongst the luxuriant 

 forests of these regions they live together in large 

 troops, and their appearance when flitting about is 

 most beautiful. They are polygamous, like the 

 gallinaceous birds, which they resemble in the 

 magnificent attire of the male. Their food consists 

 principally of fruits. They are lively and active in 

 their movements, and are usually observed upon 

 high trees, though they descend in the morning and 

 evening to the lower branches to search for food, 

 and to hide among the foliage from the extreme 

 heat of the sun. The fruits of the teak and fig-tree 

 form the principal part of their subsistence, and 

 they occasionally feed on insects, of which, if large, 

 they reject the legs, wings, and hard parts. Their 

 cry is loud, sonorous, and poured forth in a rapid 

 succession of notes. " The first four notes,^^ says 

 Mr. Lay, ^' are very long, exactly intonated, very 

 clear, and very sweet. The last three are repeated 

 in a kind of caw, a very high refinement of the voice 

 of a daw or a crow, yet possessing a striking resem- 

 blance.^^ 



There is but one sub-family, of which the type 

 is — 



The Emerald Bird of Paradise {Faradisea ajpoda) ; so 

 called from the notion foi-merly universally prevalent in 

 Europe, that the bird was naturally destitute of feet, and 

 consequently, that it floated constantly in the air, only at 

 times suspending itself for a few brief moments, from 

 some lofty sun-fllumined tree, by the peculiar lengthened 

 feathers with which it is adorned. In accordance with 

 this belief, it was thought that whatever individuals were 

 obtained on earth, had fallen from their aerial heights 

 immediately before their death. 



The true residence and breeding-place of these beautiful 



