70 Birds of Paradise. 



thick and tough, and the skull, as well as the hones all very hard 

 and strong. The whole neck is lined with a thick muscular fat, 

 exactly similar to that of the Cephalopterus ornatus, in the same 

 position, and probably serving in both cases to nourish the highly 

 developed plumage of the adjacent parts. This causes the throat 

 to appear externally very wide, and as if swollen, which displays to 

 great advantage the dense, scaly, metallic plumage. The flesh, as 

 might be expected, is dry, tasteless, and very tough — to be eaten 

 only in necessity. By far the greater number of birds I have opened 

 have had their stomachs full of fruit, and this seems to be their 

 usual and favourite food. At times, however, they seek after 

 insects, principally Ortkoptera ; and I have found one of the largest 

 of the Phasrnidse almost entire in the stomach of a full plumaged 

 bird."* 



The natives of Aru only obtain these birds during the East 

 monsoon, and hence invented theories of their migration which 

 do not correspond with the fact. It is — 



"About April, when the change from the west to the east monsoon 

 occurs, the Paradiseas begin to show the ornamental side feathers, 

 and in May and June they have mostly arrived at their full perfec- 

 tion. This is probably the season of pairing. They are in a state of 

 excitement and incessant activity, and the males assemble together 

 to exercise, dress, and display their magnificent plumage. For this 

 purpose they prefer certain lofty, large leaved forest trees (which 

 at this time have no fruit), and on these, early in the morning, from 

 ten to twenty full-plumaged birds assemble, as the natives express 

 it, ' to play and dance.' They open their wings, stretch out their 

 necks, shake their bodies and keep the long golden plumes opened 

 and vibrating — constantly changing their positions, flying across 

 and across each other from branch to branch, and appearing proud 

 of their activity and beauty. The long, downy, golden feathers 

 are, however, displayed in a manner which has, I believe, been 

 hitherto quite unknown, but in which alone the bird can be seen to 

 full advantage, and claim our admiration as the most beautiful of 

 all the beautiful winged forms which adorn the earth. Instead of 

 hanging down on each side of the bird, and being almost con- 

 founded with the tail (as I believe always hitherto represented, and 

 as they are, in fact, carried during repose and flight), they are 

 erected vertically, over the back from under and behind the wing, 

 and then opened and spread out in a fan-like mass, completely 

 overshadowing the whole bird. The effect of this is inexpressibly 

 beautiful. The long ungainly legs are no longer a deformity, as the 

 bird crouches upon them, the dark brown body and wings form but 

 a central support to the splendour above, from which more brilliant 

 colours would distract our attention ; while the pale yellow head, 

 swelling throat of rich metallic green, and bright golden eye, give 

 vivacity and life to the whole figure. Above, rise the intensely 

 shining, orange-coloured plumes, richly marked with a stripe of 



* Annals of Natural History, 1857. 



