DICK BROWNELL'S LAST EXPLOIT IN INDIA. 



435 



tail, which, with the 

 body and wings, is of 

 a rich coffee-brown, 

 deepening on the 

 breast to a blackish 

 violet or purple 

 brown. The top of the 

 head and neck is of a 

 delicate straw-yellow, 

 the feathers short and 

 close set, resembling 

 plush and velvet; the 

 lower part of the 

 throat to the eye is 

 THB APTERYX. an emerald green, the 



feathers scaly, with a metallic gloss. Velvety plumes of deeper green extend across 

 the forehead and chin to the eye, which is a clear yellow. 



Nature seems to have run riot in coloring this wonderful bird. The beak is a 

 pale lead-blue, and the feet a pale pink. The two middle feathers of the tail are 

 without webs, except a tiny one at the base and tip, forming wire-like cirri, spread- 

 ing out in a splendid double curve, almost three feet long. From each side of the 

 body below the wings projects a dense tuft of dainty plumes, two feet long, of a 

 dazzling, glossy golden-orange color, changing, toward the tips, to a pale brown. 

 The bird can elevate and spread this tuft at pleasure, so as to hide its body. 



Remember that I 

 am describing the male 

 bird, the female, in ac- 

 cordance with the rule, 

 being plain and not 

 specially attractive. 

 The paradise birds are ~ 



1 



confined toNewGuinea, j^H 

 the Papuan Islands and 

 portions of Australia. 



The satin bower bird I 

 is a native of Eastern! 

 Australia. The inter- 1 

 estmg fact connected , 

 with them is their prac-i 

 ticeof building bowers,] 

 evidently with no pur- 

 pose except that of af- 

 fording places of frolic <;KKAT BIRD OP PARA 



