The King Bied. 561 



if possible more beautiful, adorns this little bird. The two 

 middle tail-feathers are modified into very slender wire-like 

 shafts, nearly six inches long, each of which bears at the ex- 

 tremity, on the inner side only, a web of an emerald-green col- 

 or, which is coiled up into a perfect spiral disc, and produces 

 a most singular and charming effect. The bill is orange yel- 

 low, and the feet and legs of a fine cobalt blue. (See upper 

 figure on the plate at the commencement of this chapter.) 



The female of this little gem is such a plainly colored bird, 

 that it can at first sight hardly be believed to belong to the 

 same species. The upper surface is of a duU earthy brown, a 

 slight tinge of orange red appearing only on th(^ margins of 

 the quills. Beneath, it is of a paler yellowish brown, scaled 

 and banded with narrow dusky markings. The young males 

 are exactly like the female, and they no doubt undergo a series 

 of changes as singular as those of Paradisea rubra ; but, un- 

 fortunately, I Avas unable to obtain illustrative specimens. 



This exquisite little creature frequents the smaller trees 

 in the thickest parts of the forest, feeding on various fruits, 

 often of a very large size for so small a bird. It is very active 

 both on its wings and feet, and makes a whirring sound while 

 flying, something like the South American manakins. It often 

 flutters its wings and displays the beautiful fan which adorns 

 its breast, while the star-bearing tail wires diverge in an ele- 

 gant double curve. It is tolerably plentiful in the Aru Isl- 

 ands, which led to its being brought to Europe at an early 

 period along with Paradisea apoda. It also occurs in the isl- 

 and of Mysol, and in every part of New Guinea which has 

 been visited by naturalists. 



We now come to the remarkable little bird called the " Mag- 

 nificent," first figured by Buffon, and named Paradisea speci- 

 osa by Boddaert, which, with one allied species, has been form- 

 ed into a separate genus by Prince Bonaparte, under the 

 name of Diphyllodes, from the curious double mantle which 

 clothes the back. 



The head is covered with short brown velvety feathers, 

 which advance on the back so as to cover the nostrils. From 

 the nape springs a dense mass of feathers of a straw-yellow 

 color, and about one and a half inches long, forming a mantle 



Nn 



