XHi THE COLOURS OF BIRDS 279 



forming the basis of coloration. In the nearly related 

 rifle-birds, on the other hand, the pigmental colours 

 have disappeared, and the great predominance of the 

 melanins is associated with the development of the 

 most gorgeous metallic colour, set off by the velvety 

 blackness of other feathers ; a similar type of colora- 

 tion occurs in the genera Parotia and Astrapia among 

 the true birds of Paradise ; in these the speckled 

 plumage of the female is very noticeable. As usual 

 throughout the beauty of colouring is largely confined 

 to the adult males, the females and young males 

 being relatively unadorned. 



The birds of Paradise, as is well known, inhabit 

 the Malay Archipelago, and a full description of the 

 family, including an account of the native methods 

 of obtaining them, will be found in Mr. Wallace's 

 account of his travels in that region. 



The great bird of Paradise, called Paradisea 

 apoda by Linnaeus, who described it from a specimen 

 preserved after the native method, and therefore 

 without its feet, may be chosen as an example of 

 one of the prevalent types of coloration. In this 

 bird the quill -feathers of tail and wing, and the 

 feathers which cover the greater part of the back, are 

 a dull brown colour, showing little specialisation of 

 colour. In the feathers of the back the barbs are 

 devoid of barbules near their apices, but show no 

 other specialisation. At the sides of the body are 

 the beautiful erectile tufts of feathers, which give the 

 bird half its beauty. These consist of long drooping 

 feathers, pinkish-white in colour, with a tuft of short 

 bright yellow feathers at their base. The elongated 

 feathers have much elongated barbules, a structure some- 



