PHASES OF BIRD LIFE, 167 
One of the most brilliant exhibitions of this kind 
must be that of the great emerald birds of Paradise, 
as they disport themselves before the object of their 
affection. ‘They gather in flocks of from twelve to 
twenty on certain trees. Mr. A. R. Wallace, in his 
“* Malay Archipelago,” gives an interesting descrip- 
tion of these “ dancing-parties,” as they are called 
by the natives. ‘The wings of the male birds, he 
says, “‘ are raised vertically over the back; the head 
is bent down and stretched out; and the long 
plumes ’’— those that spring like spray from the 
sides or shoulders — “are raised and expanded till 
they form two magnificent -golden fans, striped with 
deep red at the base, and fading off into the pale 
brown tint of the finely divided and softly waving 
points; the whole bird is then overshadowed by 
them, the crouching body, yellow head, and emerald- 
green throat forming but a foundation and setting 
to the golden glory which waves above them.” 
No wonder the maiden’s reserve all melts away, 
and she soon yields willing consent to her lover’s 
importunings! ‘There is only one flaw in this beau- 
tiful picture, and that is made by man himself, — 
man, the meddler in avian happiness. While the 
birds are absorbed in their courtship, the natives, 
for love of pelf, steal near and shoot them with 
blunt arrows. Sometimes all the males are thus 
murdered, ruthlessly, heartlessly, before the danger is 
discovered. Of course the mercenary butchers seli 
the plumes for decorative purposes. Gold is the 
only thing that glitters in the eyes of a sordid world. 
Some people spell “ God” with an “1.” 
