0,8 THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



paradoxa), in which the outer front-toe is missing, is a 

 Babbler. 



The best-known species, owing to its popularity 

 as a cage-bird, is the above-mentioned Liothrix ; it 

 is about as large as a Sparrow, olive-green above 

 and pale yellow below, with orange on the breast and 

 wings. It is exceptional among Babblers in having a 

 forked tail ; it has bred in captivity. The " Seven 

 Sisters " (Crater opus canorus) are familiar birds in 

 India. This species is rather larger than a Thrush, 

 with dusty-drab plumage, and white eyes, bill and feet. 

 Another common Eastern Babbler is the Rat-bird 

 (Argya caudata), coloured like a Lark, and not much 

 larger, with a long Magpie-like tail. The large Grey 

 Babbler (A. malcolmi) is less widely distributed; it 

 is as big as a Dove, pale grey, with yellow eyes and 

 white outer tail-feathers. The little White-eyes or 

 Blight-birds (Zoster ops], much like Willow- wrens, with 

 a white ring round the eyes, extending from Africa 

 eastwards to Japan and New Zealand, apparently belong 

 to this group. 



Birds of Paradise (Paradiseitue) are really gaudily- 

 dressed Crows, since in general size, form and habits 

 they much resemble Jays ; the feathering at the base 

 of the bill, however, is velvety instead of bristly, and 

 the body-plumage in the males is often wonderfully 

 gorgeous in colour and elaborate in form, long plumes or 

 tufts of plumes, which are purely ornamental, being 

 frequent, especially on the head or flanks. The body 

 plumage in many species is much like velvet in appear- 

 ance and texture, or brilliantly metallic. These birds, 

 which inhabit New Guinea and the adjacent countries, 

 build simple open nests, and have loud powerful voices. 

 They go through elaborate courting displays, the males 

 showing off their special adornments. When young the 

 sexes are alike. 



Several species are not only well-known as skins, 



