136 PASSERES. PARADISEAD^E. 



divers sorts, some with, some without legs/' Jon- 

 ston, in Holland, could still write oracularly. 

 "It is peculiar to them all to be without feet; 

 although Aristotle asserts that no bird is without 

 feet, and Pigafetta assigns to them feet a hand- 

 breadth in length." So difficult is the eradication 

 of a favourite fable ! 



In their general structure, the Birds of Paradise 

 have a considerable resemblance to the Crows, 

 which they approach also in size ; the skins which 

 are brought to Europe being evidently much con- 

 tracted by the great heat employed in drying 

 them. They have the beak long, strong, with the 

 upper outline curved, and the sides compressed 

 to the tip, which is notched; the base of the upper 

 mandible is concealed by short feathers, which 

 also cover the nostrils. The wings are long and 

 rounded ; the tail varying in length, even at the 

 extremity, or else rounded. The feet (tarsi) are 

 robust, long, and covered by a single lengthened 

 scale ; the toes long and strong, especially the 

 hind-toe ; the claws long, strong, and curved. 

 The sides of the body, the neck, the breast, the 

 tail, and sometimes the head are ornamented 

 with lengthened and peculiarly developed showy 

 feathers ; the plumage of the face and throat is 

 commonly of a scaly or velvety texture, and most 

 richly glossed with metallic reflections, and other 

 parts of the body are frequently arrayed in rich 

 and brilliant hues. 



GENUS SAMALIA. (ViEiLL.) 



The species of the Birds of Paradise, though 

 not exceeding seven in number, yet present so 



