Order 11. PASSERES. 
Tribe IV, Conirostres, 
The second Family, 
PARADISEIDtE, or Birds of Paradise, 
have the Bill long, strong, with the culmen curved, and the sides compressed to the tip, which is 
emarginated ; the base of the upper mandible concealed by short feathers, which also cover the nostrils : 
the Wings long and rounded : the Tail of various lengths, even or rounded : the Tarsi robust, long, and 
covered by a single lengthened scale : the Toes long, strong ; the outer toe longer than the inner, and 
united at the base by a membrane ; the hind toe very long and robust : the Claws long, strong, and 
curved. 
The only Subfamily, 
PARADISEIN^, or Birds of Paradise, 
have the same characters as given above. 
Paradisea Linn . 
Bill rather long and robust, with the culmen curved to the tip, which is emarginated ; the sides 
compressed, the gonys long and ascending ; the nostrils lateral, and entirely covered by the short plumes 
that conceal the base of the mandible. Wings long and rounded, with the fourth to the seventh quills 
nearly equal and longest. Tail more or less long, broad, and even or rounded. Tarsi as long as the 
middle toe, robust, and covered by an entire scale. Toes very long, strong ; the outer toe longer than 
the inner, and united at the base ; the hind toe longer than the last, robust ; the claws long, strong, 
much curved, and acute. The sides of the body, neck, breast, tail, and sometimes the head, are 
ornamented with prolonged showy feathers. 
These splendid bii'ds are peculiar to New Guinea. They are active and lively in their movements, and are usually 
observed on the tops of the high trees, though they descend in the morning and evening to the lower branches, to 
search for their food, and to hide among the foliage from the extreme heat of the sun. The fruits of the teak and of 
Established by Linnaeus in 173.';. Manucodiata of Brisson (1760), Ckinnurus, Parotia, Lophorina, of Vieillot (1816), and 
Diphyllodes of M. Lesson (1835) are probably coequal. 
