766 The Sparrow-like Birds 



shoots with his blunt arrow so strongly as to stun the bird, which drops down 

 and is secured and killed by a boy in waiting at the base of the tree. In this 

 manner a number may be procured before the others take the alarm and make 

 off. The Lesser Bird -of -Paradise (P. minor], of which three subspecific forms 

 are now recognized, is similar to the last but much smaller; it occurs in New 

 Guinea and adjacent islands. 



Red Bird-of -Paradise. Very different, however, is the marvelous Red Bird- 

 of-Paradise (P. rubra) of Waigiu, Batanta, and Gemien. About the same size 

 as Paradisea minor, it has the side plumes of a rich crimson instead of yellow 

 and only extending about three or four inches beyond the end of the tail, but they 

 are somewhat rigid, with the ends curved downward and inward and tipped 

 with white. "The two middle tail-feathers, instead of being simply elongate 

 and deprived of their webs, are transformed into stiff black ribands, a quarter 

 of an inch wide, but curved like a split quill, and resembling thin, half-cylinders 

 of horn or whalebone. When the dead bird is laid on its back, it is seen that these 

 ribands take a curve or set, which brings them round so as to meet in a double 

 circle on the back of the bird; but when they hang downward during life they 

 assume a spiral twist and form an exceedingly graceful double curve. They are 

 about twenty-two inches long and always attract attention as the most con- 

 spicuous and extraordinary feature of the species. The rich metallic green color 

 of the throat extends over the front half of the head to behind the eyes and on 

 the forehead forms a double crest of scaly feathers; the bill is gamboge -yellow." 



King Bird-of -Paradise. Interesting as are the other members of the genus, 

 we must pass them by and with brief mention of the beautiful little King Bird- 

 of-Paradise (Cicinnurus regius) proceed to the final members of the group. 

 This little feathered gem, "the supposed King of the Greater Birds-of- Paradise," 

 is the sole representative of its genus, though sometimes divided into two slightly 

 differing geographic races, being native throughout New Guinea* and a number 

 of the neighboring islands. But six and a half inches in length, it has the head, 

 throat, and entire upper parts of a brilliant metallic crimson, shading into orange- 

 crimson on the forehead, while the breast and abdomen are pure silky white, 

 between which color and the crimson of the throat there is a broad band of 

 rich metallic green. "From each side of the body beneath the wing springs a 

 tuft of broad delicate feathers about an inch and a half long, of an ashy color 

 but tipped with a broad band of emerald-green, bordered within by a narrow 

 line of buff. These plumes are concealed beneath the wing, but when the bird 

 pleases, can be raised and spread out so as to form an elegant semicircular fan 

 on each shoulder. But another ornament still more extraordinary and, if pos- 

 sible, more beautiful, adorns this little bird. The two middle tail-feathers are 

 modified into very slender, wire-like shafts, nearly six inches long, each of which 

 bears at the extremity, on the inner side only, a web of emerald-green color, which 

 is coiled up into a perfect spiral disk. The bill is orange-yellow and the feet 

 and legs of a fine cobalt-blue." The extraordinary display of this species has 

 recently been described by Sir William Ingram from an example in his aviary 

 in England, whither it had been brought from the Aru Islands: "He always 



