222 THE ARU ISLANDS. [chap. xxxi. 



from eacli side of the breast, and ordinarily lying concealed 

 under the wings, were little tufts of greyish feathers about 

 two inches long, and each terminated by a broad band of 

 intense emerald green. These plumes can be raised at the 

 will of the bird, and spread out into a pair of elegant fans 

 when the wings are elevated. But this is not the only 

 ornament. The two middle feathers of the tail are in the 

 form of slender wires about five inches long, and which 

 diverge in a beautiful double curve. About half an inch of 

 the end of this wire is webbed on the outer side only, and 

 coloured of a fine metallic green, and being curled spirally 

 inwards form a pair of elegant glittering buttons, hanging 

 five inches below the body, and the same distance apart. 

 These two ornaments, the breast fans and the spiral 

 tipped tail wires, are altogether unique, not occurring on 

 any other species of the eight thousand different birds 

 that are known to exist upon the earth; and, combined 

 with the most exquisite beauty of plumage, render this 

 one of the most perfectly lovely of the many lovely pro- 

 ductions of nature. My transports of admiration and 

 delight quite amused my Aru hosts, who saw nothing 

 mure in the "Burong raja" than we do in the robin or 

 the goldfinch.^ 



Thus one of my objects in coming to the far East was 



1 See the upper figure on Plate VIII. at commeiicenieiit of Chapter 

 XXXVIII. 



