BIRDS OF PARADISE, [en. xxxtiii. 



(town the beak, are loose and curved upwards. Beneath, 

 it is mucli nu>re bcftutiluL The scide-like lealhers of the 

 breast are uiargiued with rich metallic bhio-greeu, which 

 colowr entirely covei-s the throat and sides of tlie neck, as 

 well as the long pointed plnrnea which spring from tlie 

 sides of the breiist, and extend nearly as far as tlic end of 

 the wings. The moat curious feature of the bird, however, 

 find one altogether unique in the whole clas.^, ia found in 

 the pair of long narrow delicate featliers which spring 

 from each wing close to the bend. On lifting the wing- 

 coveits they are seen to arise from two tubidar horny 

 sheaths, which divei^e from near the point of jiuiction of 

 the cafi>al bones. As already described at p, 329, they are 

 erectile, and when the bird is excited are spread ont at 

 right angles to the wing and slightly divergent, Tliey are 

 from six to six and a half inches long, the nj>per one 

 slightly exceeding tlie lower. The total length of the bird 

 is eleven inches. The bill is homy olive, tlie iris deep 

 olive, and the feet bright orange. 



The female bird is remarkably plain, being entirely of a 

 dull pale earthy brown, with only a slight tinge of ashy 

 violet on the head to relieve its general monotony ; and 

 the yonng males exactly resemble lier. (See tigures at 

 p. 328.) 



lids bird frequents the lower trees of the forests, and, 

 like most Paradise Birds, is in constant motion — flying 

 from branch to branch, clinging to the twigs and even to 

 the smooth and vertical trunks almost as easily aa a wood- 

 pecker. It continually utters a harsh, creaking note, 

 somewhat intermediate l)etween that of Paradisea apoda 

 and the more musical cry of Cicinnnrns regius, The 

 males at short intervals open and liutti'r their wiugs, erect 

 the long shoulder feathers, and spread out the elegant 

 green breast shields. 



The Standard Wing is found in Gilolo as well as in 

 Batchian, and all thu specimens from the foi-mer island 

 have the green breast shield rather hunger, the crown of the 

 head darker violet, and the lower parts of the body rather 

 niore strongly scaled with green. This is the only Paradise 

 Biixl yet found in the Mohiccan district, all the others being 

 confined to the Papuaa Isiauds and North Austrtilia. 



