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birds assemble , as the natives express it , " to play and 

 dance." They open their wings, stretch out their necks 

 shake their bodies, and keep the long golden plumes 

 opened and vibrating — constaiitly changing their posi- 

 tions , flyiiig across and across each other from branch 

 to branch , and appearing proud of their activity and 

 beauty. The long, dovvny, golden feathers are however 

 displayed in a manner which has, I believe been hit- 

 herto quite unknown^ but in which alone the bird can 

 be seen to fuU advantage, and claim our admiration as 

 the most beautiful of all the beautiful winged forms which 

 adorn the earth. Instead of lianging down on each side 

 of the bird, and being almost confoimded with the thail 

 (as I believe always hitherto rep'resented , and as they 

 are, in fact, carried diiring repos'e and flight), they 

 are erected varticallij over the back from under and be- 

 hind the wiiig, and there opened and spread out in 

 a fan-like mass, completely overshadowing the whole 

 bird. The effect of this is inexpressibly beautiful. The 

 large, ungainly legs are no longer a deformity— as the 

 bird crouches upon them, the dark brown body and 

 wings form but a central support to the splendour above 

 from which more brilliant colours would distract our 

 attention, — while the pale yellow head, swelling throat 

 of rich metallic green, and bright golden eye, give vi- 

 vacity and life to the whole figure. Above rise the 

 intensely-shining, orange-coloured plumes, richly mar- 

 ked with a stripe of deep red, and opening out with 

 the most perfect regularity into broad , waving feathers of 

 airy down , — every filament which terrainates them 

 distinct, yet waving and curving and closing upon each 

 other with the vibratory motion the bird gives them; 



