BIRDS OF PARADISE. 



33* 



yellowish like those of the breast, being produced and their shafts elongated 

 into six pairs of bare wire-like bristles, which are bent forwards in a bold curve. 

 As regards the plumage, the head is covered with short velvety feathers of a 

 purplish bronze colour; the breast appears at first nearly black, but in 

 different lights shows various metallic tints, especially green and purple, the 



TWELVE-WIRED BIRD OF PARADISE (J nat. size) 



outer edges of the feathers being margined with emerald-green. The whole of 

 the back and shoulders is rich bronzy green, while the closed wings and tail are 

 of the most brilliant violet-purple ; and the whole plumage has a delicate silky 

 gloss. Posteriorly to the fore-breast, the whole of the under-parts are of a rich 

 buffy yellow, the same tint characterising the plumes of flank-feathers, which 

 extend about an inch and a half beyond the tail. The total length of the bird is 

 about a foot, of which two inches are taken up by the compressed beak. The 



