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insectivorous birds ; lettuce leaves and fruit—such as oranges

and bananas—should also be given. A bath is daily appreciated.

Besides its call notes, the Siva has a soft, sweet song, which

is delivered in sotto voce accents with the beak almost closed.

Of its breeding habits, Oates says : “ It constructs a cup-shaped

nest of moss lined with leaves, in a fork of a small tree.”



THE EMERALD BIRD OF PARADISE.


(Paradisca apoda ),


By David Ezra, Calcutta.


This bird is a native of the Aru Islands. It is about the

size of an ordinary Jay, except that its head is a little smaller.

The major portion is of a rich dark brown, the top of the head

extending to the back of the neck is of a pale yellow, and the

portion from the beak to the breast is a dark shining green. The

principal beauty of the bird lies in the long tufts of fine delicate

light yellow feathers which grow under the wings, and vary in

length from six to ten inches, and resemble an “ Osprey.” I

have two such birds, each in a very large cage in remote corners

of my sitting room, to avoid a draught, which is detrimental to

their health. This is the second year I have had them. I place

them in the sun in the early morning for about a couple of

hours. They are fed twice a day ; first, in the morning on boiled

milk and bread ; about two hours afterwards I give each of them

from my own hands half a dozen live grasshoppers, which they

take quite eagerly one after the other, showing great impatience

if there is any delay by shrill repeated calls. At midday, their

feeding cups are cleaned, and papaya fruit, cut into bits less than

halt an inch, is given to them. At sunset the cages are well

cleaned, and all the cups are removed for the night, lest they

should eat at night when there is a light in the room and so get

indigestion.


Some of their movements are very graceful; for instance,

when they are in full plumage they throw all their beautiful

“ Osprey ’’-like feathers forward, covering their head, at the same

time skipping along the perch from end to end, making a low

cawing sound all the while. This is what they do when in

perfect health. Their moulting lasts for three months, beginning

in April, sometimes earlier, during which time they are languid

and dull. At the end of six months they are in perfect plumage.

They are not song birds, but have a powerful caw with about six



