518 NATL HAL IIISTOnr OF BIRDS. 



the centrnl pilaster, upon the loj) of wliieli the whole eilifiee is sustained. The height 

 of the caijin is at least half a metre. All arouu<l, from the top of the central pilaster, 

 and diverging outward therefrom, arranged methodically in an inclined position, are 

 the long stems, their iip]icr ends snj)ported on the m|ic'x of the pilaster, and tlieir lower 

 resting on the ground, and thus all around, excepting immediately in front. In this 

 way is made the cabin, conical in form, and quite regular in the shape the whole pre- 

 sents when the work is completed. Many other stems are then added and interwoven 

 in various ways, so as to make a roof at once strong and imjiervious to the weather. 

 Between the central pilaster and the insertion in the ground, there is left a circular 

 gallery in the shape of a horse-shoe. The whole structure has a total diameter of 

 about a metre. 



" The long straw-like stems of which it m.akes use as rafters are the slender and 

 upright branches of a species of orchid {Dendrohium), an epiphytal plant that grows 

 in large tufts on the mossy br.anchcs of tall trees. Tliey are as slender as fine straws, 

 and are .about half a metre in length. These stems retain their small and closely- 

 packed leaves, which are still living, and continue to maintain their life a long while, 

 as is the case with the greater part of the epiphytal orchids of the tropics, and there 

 i> little doubt that these sagacious birds select this jilant on account of its vitality. 

 ]iurj>osely to prevent the decay of their dwelling. 



" But the ajsthetic tastes of our ' gardener ' are not restricted to the construction of 

 a cabin. Tlicir fondness for flowers and for garilens is still more remarkable. 

 Directly in front of the entrance to their cabin is a level j)]ac<! occuj)ying a superficies 

 about as large as that of the structure itself. It is a miiiiattn-e meadow of soft moss, 

 transjiorti'd thither, kejit smooth .'uid clean, and free from grass, weeds, stones, and 

 other objects not in harmony with its design. Ujion this graceful green carpet are 

 scattered flowers and fruit of different colors, in such a manner that they really ])re- 

 sent the a|(pearancc of an elegant little garden. The greater number of these orna- 

 ments aj)pear to be accumul.ited near the entrance to the c;d>in. The variety of the 

 objects thus collected is very great, and they are ahv.ays of brilliant colors. Not only 

 does the Amhh/ornis select its ornaments from among flowers and fruit, but showy 

 fungi and elegantly-colored insects are .also distributed about the garden and within 

 the galleries of the cabin. When these objects have been exposed so long as to lose 

 their freshnes.s, they are taken from the abode, thrown away, and replaced by others." 



As the first naturalist who saw the wonderful birds-of-Paradise, long-billed .and 

 short-billed ones, in their native forests, "Sir. Alfred ]{ussel Wallace's name is so 

 closely connected with the history of these marvels of living beauty, and our knowl- 

 edge of their habits and peculiarities is to such a degree ilue to his observations, that 

 we shall h;ive to follow his account of them as near as possilile, using his own words, 

 un.able as we are to improve upon them. We must limit the remarks, however, to 

 such species only of which we arc able to present figures, viz., the two cuts inserted 

 in the text, and the plate facing this ]Wge, though these only re]ireseiit five species out 

 of a total number of nearly tlii'ce do/.en. 



When the earliest Enrojiean voyagers reached the Moluccas in search of cloves 

 .and nutmegs, which were then rare and precious spices, they were ])re.sented with the 

 drieil skins of birds so strange and beautiful as to excite the admiration even of those 

 wealth-seeking rovers. The Malay traders gave them the name of 'mrmuk dewata,' 

 or God's birils; and the Portuguese, finding that the .skins had no feet or wings, and 

 not being able to learn anything authentic .about them, called them 'passaros de sol,' 



