THE DANCE. 267 



of feathers underneath, they are cleaned in 

 succession, if required, by throwing them abroad, 

 elevating and passing them in succession through 

 the bill. Then turning its back to the specta- 

 tors, the actions above mentioned are repeated, 

 . . . and throwing its feathers up with much 

 grace, appears as proud as a lady dressed in her 

 full ball dress" (!). After further account of 

 its taking grasshoppers from visitors, he con- 

 cludes : " Should any of the insects fall to the 

 floor of his cage he will not descend to them, 

 appearing to be fearful that in so doing he 

 should soil his delicate plumage." 



Almost equally charming is Mr. Bennett's 

 observation of one that Wallace carried alive to 

 London, which lived two years there and be- 

 came exceedingly tame. It is this species whose 

 dancing parties Wallace thus describes : 



" On one of these trees a dozen or twenty 

 full-plumaged male birds assemble, raise their 

 wings vertically over the back, stretch out their 

 necks, and raise and expand their exquisite long 

 plumes till they form two magnificent golden 

 fans, which are kept in continual vibration. 

 Between whiles they fly across from branch to 

 branch in great excitement, so that the whole 

 tree is filled with waving plumes in every vari- 

 ety of attitude and motion. In the position 

 above mentioned the whole bird is overshad* 



