NATURAL HISTORY. 251 



' So on he fares, and to the border comes 

 Of Eden, -where delicious Paradise, 

 Now nearer, crowns with her enclosure green." MILTON. 



feathers are so loose, light, and airy towards their points that they bear some 



resemblance to the tails of comets. 

 Some notion of the general form of 

 this species may be obtained from 

 the annexed figure, representing 

 the golden bird of Paradise- 

 This beautiful deep black species 

 is a native of New Guinea, and is 

 well named by the French sifilet, 

 from the six slender feathers, three 

 on each side of the head, which 

 are webs, except at the end 

 where they are without oval. The 

 breast has a rich, gilded, changeable 

 green gorget, which is very bril- 

 liant. The female of this species 

 Is destitute of the six long shafted feathers and the gorgeous breast of the male ; but 

 instead, the feathers on the neck and side, and under parts of the body, are of a very 

 light brown colour, transversely marked with rather wide deep brown bars. 



Birds of Paradise, which are allowed to exceed all others in beauty, variety, and 

 the peculiar construction of their plumage, associate in large flocks in the delightl ul 

 aromatic woods and groves of their native islands ; and the inhabitants, sensil le 

 of their charms, give them the name of " God's birds." 



768. What remarkable utility is connected with the profuse 

 plumage of birds of Paradise 1 



We know too little of the habits of these birds to recognise 

 all the specific purposes their singular and beautiful plumage 

 answers ; but it appears to be certain that they are directed to their 

 food by the profusion of their feathers. 



7G9. This extraordinary fact has been pointed out and enlarged upon in a veiy 

 able mannei in " Partington's Cyclopcedia " : 



" \Ve know this the islands in which birds of Paradise are found, are subject to 

 alternations of rain and drought. Further, we know that in tropical countries 

 the fervent heat of the rainless period comes at last to have all the effect of a 

 winter, in the suspension of animal and vegetable action. As one part of those 

 countries in which they have their haunts becomes parched, the birds of Paradise 

 must remove to another, and we shall see that the profuse feathers, besides 

 enabling the birds to rise more easily and descend more softly on their shorte* 

 excursions, in consequence of the hold which their countless flocculi take of tb> 



