BIRDS OF PARADISE. 



in his Latin and Germajt tranflation of the Indian Zoology, and 

 efFe6tually difproved that the invention originated from any one 

 of this genus. I refer the reader to his differtation, and barely 

 mention, that the antient defcribers of the Phcenix, give it the 

 form and fize of an eagle, with an exqiiilite richnefs of coloring ; 

 they fay that it lived dcIx years, and at the completion of that 

 period, formed its neft with the twigs of the moft odoriferous 

 trees, and died upon them. A young one fprung from its re- 

 mains, and conveyed them to Pancbaia, the city of the fun, per- 

 formed the funeral rites, and placed them on the altar. Pliny, 

 from whom this relation v.as taken, adds, that it was reported 

 one had been brought to Ro7ne, but, with his ufual good fenfe, 

 ftamps on it the charge of fidlion. 



Notwithstanding the remotenefs of the native country 

 of this whole genus, I cannot abfolutely affirm the impoffibility 

 of the antients being acquainted with fome of the fpecies. 

 They had from diftant times a regular trade with bidia. Before 

 the days of Ptolemy, they puflied their navigation beyond the 

 peninfula of Malacca to Cattigara, the modern Ponteamas, and 

 the Metropolis Sina, the prefent Cambodia. Notwithflanding the 

 antients might have penetrated no farther, yet, as the Indians 

 were extremely commercial, the Romans might receive from 

 them accounts of the moft diftant ifles, their commodities, and 

 even their curiofities. The birds of India were known to the 

 Romans ; it is poftible that they might have feen, or at leaft heard 

 of thofe of Paradife : no words could better fuit thefe moft fin- 

 gular fpecies, than difcolores maxime et inenarrabiles *, birds of 



* Plin. Lib. lO, cap, 1 1, 



different 



149 



