CHAF. XXXI.] GREAT SIRD OF PARADISE, 



463 



and to Tetiirn quietly to my bird-skinning, or wliatever 

 other work t had indoors. The stings and bites and 

 ceaseless irritation caused by these pests of the tropical 

 forests, woukl be borne uncomplainingly ; but to be kept 

 prisoner by them in so rich and unexplored a country, 

 where rare and beautiful creatures are to be met with in 

 every forest ramble — a country reached by such a long and 

 tedious voyage, and which might not in the present cen- 

 tury be again visited for the same purpose — is a punish- 

 ment too severe for a naturalist to pass over in silence. 



1 had, however, sonic consolation in the Inrds my boys 

 brought home daily, more especially the Parudiseas, which 

 they at length obtained m full plumnge. It wa,s quite a 

 relief to my mind to get these, for I could hardly have toni 

 myself away from Ara had I not obtained specimens. 

 But what I valued almost as much as the birds tliemselves 

 wa.^ the knowledge of their habit-s, which I was daily ob- 

 taining both from the acco\ints of my hunters, and fi'oin 

 the conversation of the natives. The birds had now com- 

 menced what the people here call their " sacaleli," or 

 dancing-parties, in certain trees in the forest, which are not 

 fruit trees as I at first imagmed, but wldch have an im- 

 mense head of spreading brandies and large but scattered 

 leaves, giving a clear space for the birds to play and exhibit 

 their plumes. On one of these trees a dozen or twenty 

 full-plumaged male birds assemble together, raise up their 

 wings, stretch out their necks, and elevate tlieir exquisite 

 plumes, keeping them in a continual vibration. Between 

 whiles they fly across from branch to branch in great ex- 

 citement, so that the whole tree is filled with waving plumes 

 in every variety of attitude and motion. (See Illustration 

 facing p. 443.) The bird itself is nearly as large as a crow, 

 and is of a rich cofiee brown colour. The head and neck is of 

 a pure straw yellow above, and rich nielallic green beneath. 

 The long plumy tufts of golden orange feathers spring from 

 the sides beneath each wing, and when the bird is in repose 

 are partly concealed by them. At the time of its exciteuie^it, 

 however, tlie wings are raised vertically over the back, the 

 head is bent down and si ict ched out, and the long plumes 

 are raised up and expanded till the>' form two magnitia'ut 

 golden fan^ .striped with deep red at tiie base, and tudiug 



