277 



or long. Therefore, I maintain that an aviary is indis- 

 pensable for all who keep Golden Wrens and similar 

 birds. Pkrcv F. M, Gai^i^oway. 



FOREIGN BIRDS AT THE ZOO. 



{^Continued from page 2ji.) 



THE EMERAIvD BIRD OF PARADIvSB:. 



[Farad isea apoda). 



There are but few foreign birds more familiar to the 

 general public, by name, than the Emerald Bird of 

 Paradise. Indeed, its dead body may not be an unfamiliar 

 sight, for stuffed specimens are by no means rare. Very, 

 very few, however, liave been privileged to see the bird 

 alive and well, and even experienced aviculturists will 

 learn with deep interest (if they have not already done 

 so), that there is a splendid representative of the species 

 in the Gardens of the Royal Zoological Society. It has 

 been my pleasure to see this beautiful creature, and so 

 impressed was I by the sight that I feel it is only due to 

 our members to try and fittingly chronicle its presence 

 among us. 



It is to the Insect House, then, that I must ask you 

 to return with me. There, in front of us as we enter the 

 door, is a large aviary, seemingly about 12 feet in length, 

 6 feet in width, and perhaps 8 feet high. Within this 

 space is living, at present in perfect health, the subject 

 of this article. The bird shows uo sign of fear at our 

 approach and boldly gives us glance for glance. A 

 cursory examination reveals a rather large bird, about 

 twelve inches in length, of a prevailing chestnut colour, 

 with a few yellowish feathers protruding on either side. 

 But let us look at the bird more closely. The pre- 

 dominant colour is undouVjtedly a beautiful chestnut 

 brown : the forehead appears to be black with a play of 

 emerald as the bird moves into a different light. The 

 crown and the upper part of the ueck are very pale 

 yellow, lemon-colour in fact, while the feathers of the 

 throat are of burnished emerald-green. The beak and 



