32 WIllTLJ—A Skt^tch of the Life of Samuel White. 



purposes, for I have seen it moving in the tree tops when feed- 

 ing with the ease and activity of a Ptilotis, and at other times 

 clutching a large branch, and throwing its heavy body and great 

 plumes about with the greatest ease. Whether Linne when he 

 named this bird really thought they existed without legs is a 

 I)uzzle. The food of this bird seems to be entirely fruit, the 

 stomachs of all those examined did not contain a single insect, 

 but were crammed with fruit of several kinds, some were filled 

 exclusively with wild nutmegs, and most of them contained the 

 remains of this spice. When the bird had been feeding upon 

 this fruit, the flesh of the bird smelt strongly of spice The 

 stomach of this bird is large and membranous, the carcase never 

 fal, but very muscular, the bones compact and strong, the neck 

 being long and the skin dry and very tough, adhering very 

 closely to the body ; about the throat the skin is thick, loose and 

 lined with several layers of thin watery membrane, which gives 

 that part a fluffy appearance. The side plumes, although volu- 

 iiiinous spi-ing from a patch of skin on each side of the breast, 

 not larger than a half crown piece, the skin here is compact, 

 hard, and firmly attached to the muscles of the breast, which 

 tear away with the skin when skinning, if a knife be not used. 

 What is most sur])rising in this bird is the hardness and tough- 

 ness of its skin, while the flesh is decomposing. I have had birds 

 brought to me that have been killed a week or more, the flesh 

 being green, rotten, and stinking, maggots crawling from the 

 eyes and mouth, but strange to say, with the exception of the 

 thin membrane on the abdomen the skin was still tough, and 

 the feathers firm. After a little washing, an operation these 

 bird's feathers bear remarkably well, a good skin can be made. 

 Any other bird under these conditions would have been minus 

 its feathers before half finished. They are birds that will stand 

 a lot of handling, for I have seen a native bring a bird for sale, 

 and while coming to terms (it sometimes requires hours to 

 complete a bargain), constantly rub the bird up and down, rub 

 it on his arms and face, press it, pat it, stroke it, till I have 

 been nearly crazy, and felt as if I would like to knock the fel- 

 low down and trample him underfoot. When the purchase has 

 been comjtleted I have had to take the bird and wash it with 

 soap to remove the stains the beast had left on the delicate yel- 

 low plumage. The natives maul everything alike, and some 

 of the small birds were spoilt, but they soon learnt to do better. 

 Some small birds were brought to me in a filthy state, and I 

 showed the fellow who brought them what he had done, and 

 what he should do in future. I then threw the birds down, and 



