140 GREATER BIRD OP PARADISE. 



are chiefly found in the island of New Guinea. Their 

 plumage is very brilliant and beautiful. 



Greater Bird of Paradise. In the woods of New 

 Guinea, these interesting- and beautiful birds associate 

 in large flocks, headed by a leader. They are on wing 

 during the greatest "part of the day, in pursuit of the 

 larger species of moths and butterflies, on which they feed. 

 Such is their power, and such their strength of wing, that 

 the old naturalists have described them as being inhabit- 

 ants only of the air ; as living on dew, and never resting 

 on the earth. And, to complete so absurd a notion, they 

 were considered to be without legs, which the very ex- 

 traordinary habits thus ascribed to them, had, indeed, 

 rendered unnecessary. The fact is this, that the skins of 

 these birds which are brought to Europe, generally have 

 the legs cut off, as by no means corresponding with the 

 elegant appearance of the plumage. In their flight, the 

 Birds of Paradise make a noise not unlike that of star- 

 lings. When they alight it is usually on the highest trees. 

 Of the mode in which they construct their nests, the num- 

 ber of their young, and their manner of rearing them, we 

 are at present altogether ignorant. They are shot with 

 blunt arrows, by the inhabitants of the countries which 

 they frequent, and their skins are exported to India and 

 Persia, and even into Europe, for the purpose of ornaments 

 in dress. 



The general colour of these birds is a light chesnut, hav- 

 ing the under part of the neck gold-green. The feathers 

 on the back and sides are considerably longer than the 

 body ; and the tail, as it is usually called, is nothing more 

 than these long feathers. There are two long and bristly 

 tail-feathers, which are straight, and taper to wards the tip. 



