BIRDS OF PARADISE. 



327 



dance." They open 

 their wings, stretch out 

 their necks, shake their 

 bodies, and keep their 

 l n S golden plumes 

 opened and vibrating 

 constantly changing 

 their positions, flying 

 across and across each 

 other from branch to 

 branch, and appearing 

 pjroud of their activity 

 and beauty. The long 

 downy golden feathers 

 are displayed in the 

 manner in which alone 

 they can be seen to full 

 advantage : instead of 

 hanging down each side, 

 as during repose and 

 flight, they are erected 

 vertically over the back, 

 and there opened and 

 spread out like a fan, 

 completely overshadow- 

 ing the whole body. 

 The effect of this is in- 

 expressibly beautiful. 

 The large ungainly legs 

 are no longer a deform- 

 ity, as the bird crouches 

 upon them. The dark 

 brown body and wings form but a central support to the splendour above, from which 

 more brilliant colours might distract attention, while the pale yellow head, swelling 

 throat of rich metallic green, and bright golden eye, give vivacity and life to the whole 

 figure. Above rise the intensely shining orange-coloured plumes, richly marked with 

 a stripe of deep red, and opening out into broad waving wreaths of airy down, curving 

 and closing upon each other so- as to form a sort of halo, in the centre of which the 

 bright green head looks like a little emerald sun, with its rays formed by the filaments 

 of the two plumes. 



TRIBE IV TEXVIROSTRES.* 



The birds composing this tribe have a slender elongated beak, 

 always without a notch ; 

 it is sometimes straight 

 and sometimes bent like 

 a bow, The principal 

 genera are the Nut- 

 hatches, the Creepers, FlG - 335-- HEAD OF SUN-BIRD. 



the Humming-Birds, and the Hoopoes. 





. 



FIG. 354. BIRDS OK PARADISE. 



* Tenuis, slender ; rostrum, a beak : slender-billed. 



