312 THE EMERALD BIRD OF PARADISE. 



There seems, however, no real cause for removing it from the other Paradise Birds, and thus 

 increasing the number of genera, which is already allowed to be far too large. As it is by no 

 means a common bird, and the natives of New Guinea are not observant naturalists, caring 

 nothing for the birds but the price which is paid for their skins, very little is known of its 

 habits. The tail of this species is fully three times as long as the body, the head is ornamented 

 with a double crest of glittering feathers, and its whole plumage glows with an effulgence of 

 varied hues that almost baffle description. This gorgeous plumage belongs only to the male ; 

 the female being smaller, comparatively sober in hue, and devoid of the beautiful crest which 

 adorns the head of her mate. 



IT is hardly possible to conceive a more singular arrangement of plumage than is presented 

 in the GOLDEN BIRD OF PARADISE, although in many species there is something so remarkable 

 and unexpected that we believe the extreme of uniqueness to have been reached, until we come 

 across another species which equally raises our wonder and admiration. 



In the king Bird of Paradise we have already seen two long, bare shafts springing from 

 the upper tail-coverts and extending beyond the tail. Such an arrangement is not, however, 

 without a parallel in other members of the feathered race as the Leona nightjar and the great 

 Dicrurus both possess a similar development of feathers, the wing of the one and the tail of 

 the other being thus decorated. But in the species which we are now examining, six long, 

 slender shafts start from the head, three on each side, bare for the greater part of their length, 

 and furnished with a little patch of web at their extremities. These curious shafts are movable, 

 as the bird possesses the power of raising them so as to stand out horizontally on each side 

 of the head, or of permitting them to hang loosely down the sides of the neck. The flanks 

 are decorated with rifassive plumes of a jetty black, that are also capable of being raised or 

 lowered at the pleasure of the bird, and that fall over the wings and tail so as nearly to con- 

 ceal them. 



The general color of this curious species is deep velvety-black, changing into gray on the 

 top of the head, and into the richest changeable golden-green on the back of the neck. The 

 throat is most gorgeous in the sunshine, being covered with scale-like feathers of glittering 

 green edged with gold. The feathers of the tail are also velvet-like, and some of the shafts are 

 long and filamentous. The total length of this bird is rather under a foot. 



THE EMERALD BIRD OF PARADISE is the species which is most generally known, and is the 

 one of which were related the absurd tales which have already been mentioned. The specific 

 term, apoda, signifies "footless," and was given to the bird by Linnaeus in allusion to those 

 fables which were then current, but which he did not believe. 



This most lovely bird is a native of New Guinea, where it is far from uncommon, and is 

 annually killed in great numbers for the sake of its plumage, which always commands a high 

 price in the market. It is a very retiring bird, concealing itself during the day in the thick 

 foliage of the teak -tree, and only coming from the green shelter at the rising and setting of the 

 sun, for the purpose of obtaining food. Almost the only successful method of shooting the 

 Emerald Paradise Bird is to visit a teak or fig tree before dawn, take up a position under 

 the branches, and there wait patiently until one of the birds comes to settle upon the branches, 

 or leaves the spot which has sheltered it during the night. This bird is rather tenacious of 

 life, and unless killed instantly is sure to make its escape amid the dense brushwood that 

 grows luxuriantly beneath the trees, and if the sportsman ventured to chase a wounded bird 

 amid the bushes, he would, in all probability, lose his way and perish of hunger. Those 

 sportsmen, therefore, who desire to shoot this bird always provide themselves with guns that 

 will carry their charge to a great distance, and employ very large shot for the purpose, as the 

 bird always perches on the summits of the loftiest trees of the neighborhood, and would not be 

 much damaged by the shot ordinarily used in shooting. 



This species is very suspicious, so that the sportsman must maintain a profound silence, 

 or not a bird will show itself or utter its loud full cry, by which the hunter's attention is 

 directed to his victim. 



