Marvels of the Universe 



521 



rested by suspending themselves by their tail feathers from the branches of trees. No suggestion 

 was offered as to how they obtained their food. Not only was this legless condition attributed to 

 the Great Bird of Paradise (celebrated for its magnificent development of filamentous plumes on 

 the side of the body, rising in a golden cloud above the outspread wings when the bird makes its 

 courting display), but to such other of the Paradise Birds as reached Europe in this mutilated 

 condition down to one hundred years ago. This conception arose from the way in which these 

 skins were preserA^ed for commerce by the Malay traders of the Archipelago, who, to save bother 

 in preparing and packing, cut off the legs. As a matter of fact. Birds of Paradise are provided 

 with very stout limbs and occasionally rather large feet, eminently adapted for perching and 

 scratching, and the eggs, instead of being laid on the back of the male, are deposited (never more 

 than three in number and sometimes only one) in nests built in bushes or in trees constructed, 

 sometimes ver^' roughly, of twigs, leaves, roots, the stems of lycopodium, moss and grass. The 

 eggs vary in colour from a dark reddish-brown with darker blotches and streaks, or even black 

 markings, to paler tints of grey or greenish-white, marked with spots and streaks of purple, brown, 

 or black. 



The food of Paradise Birds is very varied, and includes not only insects, snails and worms, 

 but also small frogs and lizards and many kinds of fruit, berries, seeds and figs. Their diet in 

 captivity amongst the natives of Malaysia usually consists of cockroaches, of which disgusting 

 insect they are very fond, and papaw fruit or bananas. At least one species here illustrated — 



photo l/y permission or\ 



[Sir H. H. Johnston, ti.C.M.G. 

 THE ■•MAGNIFICENT" BIRD OF PARADISE. 



The "Magnificent" or Golden-naped Bird of Paradise belongs to a group of small but beautifully decorated birds found in 

 New Guinea and most of the great islands round about the western half. The plumage in the decorative parts is so metallic 

 that it looks like gold, silver and gleaming copper. 



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