CH. xxxvm.] CURIOUS APPENDAGES, 555 



in Mai*cli, with a very cold wind; and the only jdacv on 

 board the miiil-steainer where their large ciige coultl bo 

 acconiTnodated was exposed to a strong current of air down 

 a IniUikway which stood open day and nij^ht, yet the birds 

 never seemed to feel the cold. During tlie niglit journey 

 from Marseilles to Paxils it wa^ a sharp frost; yet they 

 arrived in London in perfect health, and lived in tlie 

 Zoological Giirdeos for one, and two years, often display- 

 ing their beautiful plumes to tlie admiration of the spec- 

 tators. It is evident, therefore, that the Paradise Birds 

 are vei-y hardy, anil require air and exercise rather than 

 heat; and 1 feel sme that if a good sized conseivatory 

 could he devoted to them, or if they could be turned loose 

 in the troiical department of the Crystal Palace or the 

 Great Palm House at Kew, they would live in tliis country 

 for many years. 



Tlie Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisea rubra of Yiellot), 

 though allied to the two hii-ds abeady described, is much 

 more distinct from them than they are from each other. 

 It is about the same size as Paradisea papuana (13 to 14 

 inclies long), but differs from it in many particulars. The 

 side plumes, instead of being yellow, are rich crimson, and 

 only extend about three or four inches beyond the end of 

 the tail ; they are sojuewhat rigid, and the ends are curved 

 downwards and inwards, and are tipped with white. The 

 two middle tail feathers, instead of bei[ig simply elongated 

 and deprived of their webs, are transformed into stiff black 

 ribands, a quarter of an inch wide, but curved like a spht 

 quill, and resembling thin hiiif cylinders of horn or whale- 

 bone. When a dead bird is laid on its back, it is seen that 

 these ribands take a curve or set, which brings tliem 

 round so as to meet in a double circle on the neck of the 

 bird; but when they hang downwards, during Hfe, they 

 assume a spiral twist, and form an exceedingly graceful 

 double curve. They are about twenty-two inches long, 

 and always attrtvct attention as the most conspicuous and 

 extraordinary feature of the species. The rich metallic 

 green colour of the throat extends over the front half of 

 the head to behind the eyes, and on the forehead forms a 

 little double crest of scaly feathers, which adds much to 



