208 Mr, C. B. Horsbrugh — Journey to British 



Hunstein's Paradise-birds, which soon became tame enough 

 to feed from our hands. The other held several sorts of Doves 

 and some Raggi^s Paradise-birds. No single day passed 

 without some addition to our collection, and in reviewing our 

 united experience with European and other birds. Stalker and 

 I agreed that we had never handled such confiding and fearless 

 creatures as these. They would usually take food from our 

 hands within three days of their capture. The Hunstein^s 

 Birds-of-Paradise were the first examples of this family 

 brought in. The males clear a small open space on the 

 ground in which to display their beautiful plumage to a 

 number of admiring females. It is an easy matter for the 

 natives, who are all aware of this habit, to arrange a net near 

 these •' dancing grounds " and at an opjwrtune moment 

 to frighten the birds into its meshes by a sudden shout and 

 clapping of hands. We found that these birds were decidedly 

 more delicate than the other species, but usually agreed very 

 well amongst themselves when caged, and they were certainly 

 more plentiful in this district than any of their other relatives. 

 During our return journey from Dilava, Stalker fired at 

 and missed a bird which must have been Lawes's Bird- 

 of-Paradise (Parotia laivesi), but this was the only glimpse 

 obtained of it in its wild state. We were therefore 

 much delighted to receive afterwards at different dates about 

 a dozen examples of this fine species. Unlike Hunstein's 

 Paradise-bird, they were as hardy as we could wish and 

 quickly became very tame. One specimen was slightly 

 more adult than the others, liaving the six wires from the 

 head of full length and the gorgeous cravat covering the 

 throat well developed. It unfortunately died from some 

 complaint affecting its eyes soon after reaching Sydney. 

 Our natives could not appreciate our wish to receive hen 

 Paradise-birds, the numbers of males far exceeding those of 

 the latter sex. We had to offer double rewards for hens of 

 P.racjyiana, and even then we only obtained three specimens. 

 So far as we could discover, no birds are kept alive as pets 

 in any of the villages in this particular district, as their habits 

 in captivity and the trouble of attending to their wants would 



