NATURAL HISTORY. 281 



This bird appears about the size of a jay. Its body, breast, 

 and lower parts are of a deep rich brown ; the front set close 

 with black feathers shot with green ; the throat is of a rich 

 golden green ; the head yellow ; the sides of the tail are 

 clothed with a splendid plume of long downy feathers of a 

 soft yellow colour. By these are placed two long filamentous 

 shafts, which extend nearly two feet in length. 



Of these beautiful feathers the bird is so proud that it will 

 not suffer the least speck of dirt to remain upon them, and it 

 is constantly examining its plumage to see that there are no 

 spots on it. When in its wild state it always flies and sits 

 with its face to the wind, lest its elegant filmy plumes should 

 be disarranged. 



So far from living exclusively on dew, it eats no small 

 amount of insects, such as grasshoppers, which it will not 

 touch if dead, and commences its repast by stripping off the 

 legs and wings.' "When in confinement, it also eats boiled 

 rice, plantains, &c., but in the wild state it seems to feed 

 mostly on the seeds of the teak-tree, and a kind of fig. 



There are several species of Paradise Birds known, but the 

 one given in the engraving is the most common, and is the 

 one of which the above-mentioned fables were told. 



THE SATIN BOWER-BIRD. 



It is a singular thing to find a bird building a kind of 

 playground, without reference to its nest, but merely for 

 amusement. The BOWER-BIRD has this curious habit. It 

 builds a kind of bower of thin twigs, interwoven so as to 

 meet above, forming a kind of tunnel. The entrance of this 

 bower is decorated with any brilliant article that the bird can 

 find, such as shells, bones, and feathers of several parrots, 

 some feathers being stuck in among the twigs, and others 

 strewn at the entrance. Mr. Gould, who first brought this 

 curious bird before the public, says, " The propensity of these 

 birds to pick up and fly off with any attractive object, is so 

 well known to the natives (of Australia), that they always 

 search the runs for any small missing article, as the bowl 



