178 



BIRD OF PARADISE. 



ment for ladies' head-dresses. It was in the possession of a 

 gentleman who had a valuable aviary of the rarest foreign 

 birds, at Macao, in China. He kept it in a large cage, 

 where it had abundance of room for the display of its gaudy 

 dress, of which it seemed very proud ; dancing about when 

 visitors approached, as if delighted at being made an object 

 of admiration. It washed itself twice every day, and then 

 threw up its delicate feathers nearly over its head. Nothing 

 appeared to disturb it so much as any sort of dust attaching 

 itself to its plumage. For at its toilet it pecked and cleaned 

 all within reach, and throwing out the elegant and delicate 

 tuft of feathers underneath the wings, cleaned each in succes- 

 sion, by passing it through its bill. Having completed its 

 toilet, it would utter its usual cawing notes, and then look 

 archly at the spectators, as if ready to receive their admira- 

 tion.* 



* See BENNETT'S Wanderings in New South Wales, vol. ii. 



Young Cuckoo fed by a Small Bird, 



