WHITE — A Sketch of the Life of Samuel White. 119 



We went under a large tree and imitated the bird's call, 

 which sounds like the words 'wark,' 'wark' repeated five or six 

 times in succession. We had not long to wait when a bird in 

 full plume came into the tree and perched on a bough directly 

 over my man's head and commenced dancing in their pecu- 

 liar fashion, with its golden plumes spread out and waving 

 in the wind, it seemed but an instant and the report of my 

 companion's gun rang out, and the bird was writhing 

 amongst the wet leaves, for it was raining fast. It was a 

 lovely bird with full length of plumes, which were of a deep 

 rich golden orange, tipped with light brown; the bill was blue, 

 and it bright eyes saffron j^ellow. A broad ring round 

 the base of the bill as far back as the eye was of a deep rich 

 green, and the hair-like feathers stood on end like plush. On 

 the throat and under part of the neck the feathers are short 

 and stiff, and of a rich shining emerald green; the chest is 

 of a deep purplish brown; the under part deep chocolate 

 brown; the top of the head and back of neck, rich straw yel- 

 low; the feathers of the head are short and stiff, and stand on 

 end; but lengthen as they proceed down the back of the neck; 

 the back wings and tail are a deep rich chocolate brown; the 

 shafts of the two centre tail feathers are lengthened out be- 

 yond the tail to a length of 20 or 30 inches, and are of a wiry 

 nature. This is a glorious bird seen in its native wilds, and 

 this is the first adult P. apoda I have seen in the flesh. The 

 chief object of my calling at the Aru's is accomplished, for I 

 have the first great bird of paradise. It is the largest of the 

 genus, and is the size of a crow, measuring 27-| inches from 

 tip to tip of wings, and from tip of bill to the end of short 

 tail feathers, 18£ inches. We secured two other specimens, 

 one a female, which was all chocolate brown, deener on the 

 head and chest, and is a smaller bird; the other a male, want- 

 ing but the side plumes to make it perfect. The birds require 

 to be 8 or 10 years old before they are quite perfect, then they 

 become exceedingly shy. The tree under which we stood 

 happened to be one which 'the birds select to "dance in." He 

 was attracted by the noise we made, and came to his accus- 

 tomed place to display his beautiful plumes, and was uncon- 

 scious of our presence. Several more were heard and looked 

 for, but the rain fell in torrents without ceasing, the sun had 

 been obscured all day, and every rivulet was now swollen to 

 a foaming torrent. The large creek by which we came up 

 was full of muddy water, so we had to take to the scrub, and 

 not being able to see the sun, mistook the bearings and came 



