65 



The Red Bird of Paradise. 



This beautiful and very rare bird we are acquainted 

 with through the figure in the splendid publication of 

 Oiseaux Dores, in which it is called Le Paradis Rouge: 

 it seems to be nearest allied to the greater Bird of Para- 

 dise, the principal difference being in the colour of the 

 long side feathers which rise under the wings, being in 

 this of a fine red, and that instead of the long wire 

 feathers in the tail it has two curious appendages re- 

 sembling flat pieces of polished whalebone. This 

 specimen is believed to be the only one ever brought 

 to England. 



Black Bird of Paradise (Paradisea Furcata). 



' The Grand Hoopoe (Latham's Synopsis, vol. 2, 

 page 695.) 



(Le Grand Promerops d paremens f rises, Buffbn, 

 vol. 4, page 472.) 



This magnificent bird is thus described by Mr. La- 

 tham : — *' This most extraordinary and beautiful 

 '' bird is near four feet in length from the tip of the 

 *' bill to the end of the tail ; the body is the size only 

 '' of a middling pigeon, though much elongated in 

 " shape. The bill is three inches long, pretty much 

 " curved, and black ; the head, hind part of the neck, 

 *' and upper part of the belly, are of a shining green ; 

 '' the rest of the plumage, on the upper parts, black, 

 '^ mixed with a gloss of changeable violet, but the 

 " wings, in some lights, appear blue; the fore part 

 " of the neck, and lower part of the belly, without 

 " gloss. The scapular feathers are of a singular con- 

 " struction, the webs on one side of the shaft being ex- 

 *' ceedingly short, and on the other of a great length; 

 ** the shape of them falciform ; they are of a purplish 

 " black colour, with the ends for three quarters of 

 " an inch of a most brilliant, gilded, glossy green. 



