BIRDS THAT NO WHITE MAN HAS SEEN. 47 



The birds I have mentioned belong to one tribe 

 of the Paradise order ; but they have some rela- 

 tions with long bills, and that are called Long- 

 billed Birds of Paradise. 



There is a magnificent bird of this class, with a 

 long curved bill, and that is called the Twelve- 

 wired Bird, because of the twelve wires or shafts 

 that spring from under its wings, and curve in 

 a fantastic manner. It flies about among the 

 flowers, extracting sugar from them, for sugar is 

 its favourite food. It loves to hover about the 

 sago-palm, when the great spike of flowers is 

 about to unclose. It has large, strong feet, with 

 which it can clasp the spathe of the flower, while 

 it feasts on the rich contents. But it has all the 

 restlessness of its family ; and when it has sucked 

 a little juice, it soon flies off to another tree in 

 quest of more. 



Its loud shrill call may be heard a long way off. 

 It begins high, and gradually sinks lower and 

 lower, till it reaches the last note, and then the 

 bird darts away. 



The natives hunt the Twelve-wired Bird, and lay 



