BIRDS. 



189 



trees of the forest, particularly one which bears a red berry, 

 upon which they sometimes feed, when other food fails thenu 

 In what manner they breed, or what may be the number of their 

 young, as yet remains for discovery. 



The natives, who make a trade of killing and selling these 

 birds to the Europeans, generally conceal themselves in the trees 

 where they resort, and having covered themselves up from sight 

 in a bower made of the branches, they shoot at birds with reed- 

 arrows ; and, as they assert, if they happen to kill the king, 

 they then have a good chance for killing the greatest part of 

 the flock. The chief marks by which they know the king is by 

 the ends to the feathers in his tail, which have eyes like those 

 of a peacock. When they have taken a number of these birds, 

 their usual method is to gut them, and cut off their legs ; they 

 then run a hot iron into the body, which dries up the internal 

 moisture ; and filling the cavity with salts and spices, they sell 

 them to the Europeans for a perfect trille. 



Tlie general colour of these birds is chestnut, with a neck of a golden 

 green, beneath. The feathers of the back and sides are considerably longer 

 than those of the body. They have two long tail feathers, which are 

 straight, and taper at the tip. 

 Tliere have been ten species of this bird lately discovered. 

 The Grakle bird of Paradise.— It, has a triangular naked space behind tho 

 eyes ; the head and neck are brown ; the bill and legs are yellow ; the body 

 brownish ; the first quill feathers white, from the base to the middle ; the 

 tail feathers, except the middle one, are tipt with white. It inliabits the 

 Philippine Islands ; is nine and a half inches long ; feeds on fruit, insects, 

 mice, and every kind of grain. It builds twice a year, in the forked branches 

 of trees, and lays four eggs. When young it is easily tamed, and becomes 

 docile and imitative. This bird has a great affinity in all its habits to the 

 Grakle genus ; yet, on account of the downy feathers at the base of the 

 bill, it is placed here. 



The magnificent Bird of Paradise. — This elegant species, so remarkable 

 for the splendour and variety of its colours, is principally found in the Mo- 

 lucca Islands, and is somewhat smaller than the common bird of paradise. 

 The bill is surrounded at the base with velvet-like feathers ; the chin is 

 green, with golden lunules ; crown with a tuft of yellow feathers ; the first 

 quill feathers are brown, and the secondary of a deep yellow , the middle 

 tail feathers are very long, with a very short fringe ; its legs and bill are 

 yellow, the latter black at the tip. This beautiful bird inhabits New Hoi. 

 land, and is nine inches long^. 



