THE PIE KIND. 205 



every appearance, the nest which I dissected had 

 been inhabited for many years ; and some parts 

 of it were much more complete than others : this 

 therefore I conceive nearly to amount to a proof, 

 that the animals added to it at different times, as 

 they found it necessary, from the increase of the 

 family, or rather of the nation or community."] 



CHAPTER V. 



OF THE BIRD OF PARADISE, AND ITS VARIETIES. 



THERE are few birds that have more deceived 

 and puzzled the learned than this. Some have 

 described it as an inhabitant of the air, living 

 only upon the dew of heaven, and never resting 

 below ; others have acquiesced in the latter part 

 of its history, but have given it flying insects to 

 feed on. Some have asserted that it was without 

 feet, and others have ranked it among the birds 

 of prey. 



The great beauty of this bird's plumage, and 

 the deformity of its legs, seem to have given 

 rise to most of these erroneous reports. The 

 native savages of the Molucca Islands, of which 

 it is an inhabitant, were very little studious of 

 natural history; and perceiving the inclination 

 the Europeans had for this beautiful bird, care- 

 fully cut off its legs before they brought it to 

 market : thus concealing its greatest deformity, 



