266 EXQUISITE TOILET. 



of their manners, that the meagre accounts we 

 have possess unusual interest. So long ago as 

 early in the century Mr. Bennett, in his visit 

 to Macao, wrote a statement of the ways of a 

 Great Bird of Paradise (P. Apoda) which had 

 been at that time in confinement nine years. 

 His description of the toilet of the most exqui- 

 site of birds is delightful. 



"It washes itself regularly twice daily, and 

 after having performed its ablutions, throws its 

 delicate feathers up nearly over the head. . . . 

 The beautiful subalar plumage is then thrown 

 out and cleaned from any spot that may sully 

 its purity by being passed gently through the 

 bill, the short chocolate-colored wings are ex- 

 tended to the utmost, and he keeps them in a 

 steady flapping motion, at the same time rais- 

 ing up the delicate long feathers over the back, 

 which are spread in a chaste and elegant man- 

 ner, floating like films in the ambient air. In 

 this position the bird would remain for a short 

 time, seemingly proud of its heavenly beauty. 

 I never yet beheld a soil on its feathers. After 

 expanding the wings it would bring them to- 

 gether so as to conceal the head, then bending 

 gracefully it would inspect the state of its 

 plumage underneath. ... It then picks and 

 cleans its plumage in every part within reach, 

 and throwing out the elegant and delicate tuft 



