tt2 A N E S S A y O N I N D I A, 



fun, till they fall down dead. The Papuans, after kiU'ing and 

 embowelling them, dry the cavity with a hot iron, and enclofe 

 them in a joint of bamboo, in order the better to preferve them. 



III. and IV. 



^HE black Paradife- birds. The larger variety of thefe is 

 fold by the natives without wings and feet, and therefore is 

 very difficult to be defcribed with accuracy. The remains are 

 generally ftretched out on a ftick to the length of four fpans. 

 The feathers of the head, neck, and belly are black, filky, and 

 mixed with a radiant hue of purple and gold. Beak, blackifh, 

 an inch long. From both fides fpring bunches of feathers, fome- 

 what fimilar to quIU-feathers, but in reality very different from 

 them, for this Ipecies is always offered to fale with the wings 

 cut off. The feathers in thefe bunches are extremely foft, with 

 broad webs like peacocks feathers, of a fine fhining green, and 

 all reverted ; whence Valentyne fufpefts that they become reverted 

 in the batnboo joints in which they are enclofed by the natives. 

 Tail, wedge-fhaped. Tail feathers next the abdomen, hairy; 

 upper ones, longer, and pointed ; thofe immediately beneath thefe, 

 above a fpan and a half in length, ftiff, with loofe doubly com- 

 pound rays, black above, fhining below. The birds of this 

 variety are brought only from the part of New Guinea called 

 ■ Serghile. The inhabitants carry the Ikins dried upon fticks by 

 fmoke, and enclofed in bamboo joints, to the ifland Salawat, 

 and exchange them for hatchets and coarfe cloths. The Pa~ 

 fuans call them Shagawa, and alfo, Paradije-birds from Serghile : 

 in Ternate and 'Tidore, they are called Soffu-kokotUi Black Paradife^ 

 * birds^ 



