72 Birds of Paradise. 



series of very loud but pleasingly varied notes. Not onlyare 

 these notes varied in themselves, but they are also differently 

 arranged at different times ; the birds, however, possess two or 

 three distinct series, which are more frequently repeated than 

 the others. Mr. Wallace says that their note differs much from 

 that of the wild birds, the latter terminating their series with a 

 single low note, whereas the former often finish with a kind of 

 gobble repeated twice. One of their notes uttered occasionally 

 is exceedingly like the caw of a rook or jackdaw, but less harsh ; 

 another resembles the word "Jacob." These birds display 

 their long plumes generally in the forenoon after a bath, and 

 when their toilet is thoroughly completed; the body then 

 assumes a position almost erect, the feet clinging to the perch 

 very tightly, otherwise the bird would fall backwards; the 

 wings are raised, fully extended and widely separated from the 

 body ; the bird is seen to shake the whole body, at the same 

 time expanding the lovely ornamental feathers, the uppermost 

 and shortest of which are elevated the most, their ends hanging 

 over in a most graceful manner. At each side of the plume the 

 brilliant, shining orange colour is seen extending to more than 

 half its length, and gradually fading all round into the pure 

 white in a most exquisite manner, a strip of the richest red- 

 brown, almost black in its depth of colour, running through the 

 orange colour to about one quarter the length of the plume — 

 the wings have a slight napping movement during this display, 

 and the tail with its two long bare shafts are thrust forwards 

 under the perch. 



While the birds are thus showing themselves to the greatest 

 advantage they suddenly commence jumping and turning them- 

 selves about on the perch in a very excited manner, uttering at 

 the same moment a series of screams, louder and more piercing 

 than any of their ordinary notes. The two birds are almost 

 sure to " show off " both at the same time, and a careful 

 observer may notice that the pupil of the eye is continually con- 

 tracting and dilating. The bill is of a light greyish -blue colour, 

 and has an opaque appearance ; the iris is pale greenish-yellow ; 

 feet lead colour ; of course none of these colours are seen in 

 the preserved skin, but the colours of the feathers may be 

 retained in all their intensity by excluding the light as much as 

 possible. 



As is well known, there are several other species belonging 

 to this group of birds, almost each one possessing something 

 quite unique in the manner of its ornamentation ; the Semeiop- 

 tera Wallacii, for instance (named after our intrepid traveller 

 and discovered by him), possesses two long thin whitish feathers 

 growing from amongst the lesser wing coverts ; this gem was 

 found in the Island of Batchian, one of the Moluccas, and the 



