Correspondence. a^j 



with the entrance hole at the front near to the bottom of the 

 nest, the latter varies to some extent, iut is invariably placed in the lowej- 

 half of sphere. It would appear that these weavers are some species ot 

 Hypliaiitor)iis, but. at the same time. I do not know of any such species that 

 corresponds with Mr. Young^'s colour description. 



WESLEY T. PAGE. 

 A LIVING JEWEL. 

 Sir, — T think the following, copied from the Daily Mail. February 21, 

 IQ23, might interest m.-my readers of 15. N. 



(Miss) OLIVE BLACKBURN. 



"COURTING DISPLAY OF BIRD OF PARADISE: A most 

 " lovely sight was described at last night's scientific meeting of the 

 " London Zoological Society — the sweethearting of the Magnificent Bird 

 ' of Paradise. At the present moment one of these living jewels is making 

 " love to his mate in the Small Bird House, and Mr. Seth Smith, F.Z.S., 

 " told the Fellows about the amazing changes which now transfigure the 

 '■ male liird. In his ordinary attire the bird is a vivid little person 

 " with a green breast, orange and crimson back and wing feathers, and 

 '■ two glittering green ' wires ' in his tail, which curve round in a double 

 " sweep." 



" To woo his lady love he strikes two poses. In the first he puffs 

 " out his breast feathers into a great dark green heart-shaped shield. 

 " By some curious trick he moves these feathers to another angle, when 

 " their dark green turns to a lustrous purple. His head is just seen 



above the shield, and as he opens and shuts his beak one glimpses a 

 " flash of apple-green inside the mouth." 



In attitude No. 2 he appears to be a different bird altogether. He 

 " doubles his height ; the breast feathers flatten out and disclose a 

 " scintillating blue-green pattern like an inverted " T " made of spangles. 

 " At the same moment an unsuspected ruff-like decoration flies into 

 " position round his tiny head. This is made up of minute feathers, 

 " sparkling with the texture of pale primrose spun-glass. Then the little 

 beauty sways from side to side on legs of turquoise-blue." 



" And all this to win the heart of a dowdy little lady who looks 

 " like a shabby crow. — L.C.M." 



[Such courting displays are common to all the Birds of Paradise, but 

 in some species they are more striking and extraordinary than in others. 

 In The Field for February ist, Mr. Seth Smith gives notes of the Courting 

 Display of the Magnificent Bird of Paradise {Diphyllodes magnifica hunsteini), 

 illustrating them with three drawings, showing the male in the two poses 

 which are assumed during the display. Few aviculturists would, we think, 

 describe the female as a " dowdy little lady who looks like a shabby crow." 

 Sombre she certainly looks beside her gorgeously apparalled mate, but seen 

 apart from, or examined by his side, she has a quiet, neat beauty of her own, 

 and is neither of dowdy nor shabby appearance. In Bird Notes for 1910 

 there was an article on this species, illustrated with a coloured plate by the 

 late H, Goodchild.— Ed. B.N.] 



