S98 LETTER XLVI. 



ed with the most luxuriant foliage of an endless va- 

 riety of forma and colours, swarming with parrots, 

 and glittering with the brilliancy of their plumage. 



THE BIRD OF PARADISE, 



which has undoubtedly derived its name from its 

 beauty, is a native of the Molucca islands, and, being 

 confined to those remote regions of the east, has been 

 tery imperfectly known to the best European orni- 

 thologists, until Sonnerat, in his voyage to New Gui- 

 nea, somewhat elucidated the subject. Of this bird, 

 there are eight different species; but that which i.i 

 best known, is the greater bird of paradise. This 

 beautiful volatile, from the fulness of its plumage, ap- 

 pears to the eye nearly the size of a pigeon, although 

 its body is not in reality much larger than that of. a 

 thrush. Its- body and its tail are each, about six 

 inches long; and the wings are large in proportion to 

 its other dimenensio-ns. The head, the throat, and 

 the nec.k, are of a pale gold colour. The base of the 

 bill, as also the head, is covered with tine black fea- 

 thers, soft and glossy as velvet, and varying in co- 

 lour with the different shade? of light. The hind part 

 of the head is of a shining green, mixed with gold 

 colour. The body and wings are covered with beauti- 

 ful brown purple and gold coloured feathers. The up- 

 per part of the tail is a pale yellow, and the undermost 

 feathers are white, and Longer than those above; but 

 the appendage which chieiiy excites curiosity, con- 

 sists of two long naked feathers which, spring from the 

 upper part of the rump above the tail, and are gene=- 

 rally about two feet in length. These aye bearded only 

 at the beginning and the end, the whole shaft for above 

 one foot nine laches, being of a deep black; while 

 the feathered extremity is of a colour which changes 

 with the various reflections of the light. 



In the Oriental islands which they inhabit, these 

 birds arc seen in large flocks fluttering through the 

 aromatic 'groves. They are sometimes called the 

 swuliows of Ternate, from tbe rapidity of. their flight,, 

 and their being constantly on the wing, in pursuit of 

 flies and insect^ which are their usual food. 



