33 o PERCHING BIRDS. 



following, are regarded as near allies of the crows, from which they may be 

 distinguished by the abnormal structure of the toes. Thus, the outermost or fourth 

 toe is inferior in length to the third, which is longer than the second ; while the 

 first is very large, and equal to or longer than the third. According to Dr. Sharpe's 

 arrangement, the birds of paradise may be divided into two groups, in the first of 

 which the beak is short and more or less stout, with its culmen shorter than the 

 metatarsus ; while in the second it is long and slender, the culmen being longer than 

 the metatarsus. 



These birds, which are repres y nearly fifty species, are almost wholly 



confined to New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan Islands (especially the Aru group), 

 although one genus is found in the Moluccas, while three genera extend to North 

 Australia. Although the females are at best generally plain and ordinary-looking 

 birds, often of a uniform chocolate-colour, the adult males of all the species are 

 characterised by an extraordinary development of plumage, quite unparalleled in 

 any other group. "In several species," writes Mr. Wallace, " large tufts of delicate 

 bright-coloured feathers spring from each side of the body beneath the wings, 

 forming trains, or fans, or shields ; and the middle feathers of the tail are often 

 elongated into wires, twisted into fantastic shapes, or adorned witli the most 

 brilliant metallic tints. In another set of species these accessory plumes spring 

 from the head, the back, or the shoulders: while the intensity of colour and of 

 metallic lustre displayed by their plumage is not to be equalled by any other birds, 

 except, perhaps, the humming-birds, and is not surpassed even by these." 



Although but very little is known in regard to the habits of these lovely 

 birds, it appears that as regards food they are generally omnivorous, feeding on 

 fruits and insects, and showing a marked preference for figs, grasshoppers, locusts, 

 leaf-insects, and caterpillars. Even, however, when supplied with food cf this 

 nature in captivity they almost immediately pine and die. While the long-tailed 

 species are purely arbor •■al. some of the short-tailed kinds, like the six-plumed 

 bird of paradise, are frequently seen on the ground ; and in all cases the cock-birds 

 are fond of assembling for mutual display. Till recently their eggs have been 

 almost unknown, but such as have been obtained recall those of some of the 

 rails in appearance. They are two in number, and laid in a nest built high up in 

 the tree-tops. The eggs of the Empress Augusta paradise-bird have a pale pinkish 

 buff ground-colour, upon which are streaks and spots of reddish brown and grey. 

 Several of the species have a very small distributional area, but in no case is 

 the range more restricted than in the red bird of paradise, which is entirely con- 

 fined to the small island of Waigiou, at the north-western extremity of New 

 Guinea, in which spot it replaces the members of the genus to which it belongs 

 found in the other islands. 



Twelve wired Commencing with the second of the two groups referred to 



Bird of Paradise. iirj ove, or the one in which the beak is relatively long and slender, 

 we may take as a first example the beautiful twelve -wired bird of paradise 

 (Sdeucides nigricans), which is the sole representative of this genus. Having 

 a short, squared tail, much inferior in length to the body, this genus is dis- 

 tinguished by the absence of a jugular shield of metallic plumes on the throat 

 and fore-neck : and still more so by the feathers of the flanks, which are 



