LECTURE V. 1S1 



derail- 1< n-th; of the sani- brown colour with 

 the rest of the- upper part-, a:id is shaped as 

 ill tl, < rality of birds ;:iid is in a ;r--at 



ihe loiiLc and beautiful as- 

 sortment oi ! ;-v. ebbed floating plumes 

 sprinijini; from f the back : these are 

 of the most el< -ant si met in Ic, and 

 arc generally of :i bright jonquil yellow at 

 their base, gradually growing pale or whitish as 

 they advanee in l.-ngth; and besides these, there 

 are two very long naked shafts or .slender quills 

 in the middle. The long floating feathers are 

 popularly called the tail of the bird, though in 

 reality, as before observed, the tail is of a very 

 different appearance and structure. 



This species, or the Parudixca apoda, like the 

 rest of the genus, was onee supposed to be natur- 

 ally without feet, and to float almost perpetually 

 in air, never resting, except by the supp- 

 assistance of the two long and slender naked 

 shafts or filaments before mentioned, whieh the 

 bird was supposed to have the power of occasion- 

 ally coiling round the branches of trees, and of 

 thus somt times sleeping. Thc.se laities are now 

 sufficiently exploded. The Paradise-birds 



