422 THE EMEKALD BIRD OF PARADISE. 



The general colour of this curious species is deep velvety-black, changing into gray 

 on the top of the head, and into the richest changeable golden-green on the back of the 

 neck. The throat is most gorgeous in the sunshine, being covered with scale-like feathers 

 of o-littcring green edged with gold. The feathers of the tail are also velvet-like, and 

 some of the shafts are long and tilamentous. The total length of this bird is rather 

 under a foot. 



The Emeeald Bird of Paeadise is the species wliich is most generally known, and is 

 the one of which were related the absurd tales which have already been mentioned. The 

 specific term, apoda, signifies " footless," and was given to the bird by Linnaeus in allusion 

 to those fables which were then current, but which he did not believe. 



This most lovely bird is a native of New Guinea, where it is far from uncommon, and 

 is annually killed in great numbers for the sake of its plumage, which always commands 

 a high price in the market. It is a very retiring bird, concealing itself during the day in 

 the thick foliage of the teak-tree, and only coming from the green shelter at the rising and 

 setting of the sun, for the purpose of obtaining food. Almost the only successful method 

 of shooting the Emerald Paradise Bird is to visit a teak or fig tree before dawn, take up a 

 position under the branches, and there wait patiently until one of the birds comes to settle 

 upon the branches, or leaves the spot which has sheltered it during the night. This bird 

 is rather tenacious of life, and unless killed instantly is sure to make its escape amid the 

 dense brushwood that grows luxuriantly beneath the trees, and if the sportsman ventured 

 to chase a wounded bird amid the bushes, he would, in all probability, lose his way and 

 perish of hunger. Those sportsmen, therefore, who desire to shoot this bird always 

 provide themselves with guns that will carry then- charge to a great distance, and employ 

 very large shot for the purpose, as the bird always perches on the summits of the loftiest 

 trees of the neighbourhood, and w^ould not be much damaged by the shot ordinarily used 

 in shooting. 



This species is very suspicious, so that the sportsman must maintain a profound 

 silence, or not a bird will show itself or utter its loud full cry, by which the hunter's 

 attention is directed to his victim. 



The following valuable account of an Emerald Paradise Bird may be found in 

 " Bennett's Wanderings," and as it is highly descriptive of the habits which characterise 

 the Paradise Birds, it must be given in the words of the narrator : — 



" This elegant creature has a light, playful, and graceful manner, with an arch and 

 impudent look ; dances about when a visitor approaches the cage, and seems delighted at 

 being made an object of admiration : its notes are very peculiar, resembling the cawing of 

 the raven, but its tones are by far more varied. During four months of the year, from 

 May to August, it moults. It washes itself regularly twice daily, and after having 

 performed its ablutions, throws its delicate feathers up nearly over the head, the quills of 

 which feathers have a peculiar structure, so as to enable the bird to effect this object. Its 

 food during confinement is boiled rice, mixed up with soft eggs together with plantains, 

 and living insects of the grasshopper tribe ; these insects, when thrown to him, the bird 

 contrives to catch in its beak with great celerity ; it will eat insects in a living state, but 

 will not touch them when dead. 



I observed the bird, previously to eating a grasshopper given him in an entire or unmu- 

 tilated state, place the insect upon the perch, keep it firmly fixed with the claws, and, 

 divesting it of the legs, wings, &c., devour it, with the head always placed first ; the 

 servant who attends upon him to clean the cage, give him food, &c. strips off the legs, 

 wings, &c. of the insects when alive, giving them to the bird as fast as he can devour 

 Ihem. It rarely alights upon the ground ; and so proud is the creature of its elegant dress, 

 that it never permits a soil to remain upon it, and it may frequently be seen spreading out 

 its wings and feathers, and regarding its splendid self in every direction, to observe 

 whether the whole of its plumage is in an unsullied condition. It does not suffer from 

 the cold weather during the winter season at Macao, though exposing the elegant bird to 

 the bleak northerly wind is always very particularly avoided. Mr. Beale is very desirous 



