Eastern Island*.] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



405 



place than New Guinea. The inhabitants carry them to Salwatty in hollow 

 tubes of bamboo, and sell them for small hatchets or coarse cloth. 



IV. The smaller black Bird. — The plumage of this sort is equal in 

 length with that of the above, but thinner in body, black above, and without 

 any remarkable gloss, not having those shining peacock-feathers which are 

 found on the greater species. This wants likewise the three long pointed 

 feathers of the tail, belonging to the larger black species of the Bird of 

 Paradise. The inhabitants of the mountains of Mysol shoot those birds, 

 and sell them to the people of Tidore. 



V. The whitk Biud is the most rare; it is of two species, one quite 

 white, and the other black and white. The first sort is very rare, and in 

 form like the bird of Paradise from Papua. The second has the fore part 

 black, and the back part white, with twelve crooked wiry shafts, which are 

 almost naked, though in some parts covered with hair. This species is very 

 scarce, and only to be procured by means of the people of Tidore, since it 

 is found on the Papua Islands. 



VI. The unknown black Bird. — In the year 1GS9 a new species was 

 seen at Amboyna, carried from Mysol, only one foot in length, with a fine 

 purple hue, a small head, and straight bill. As on the other birds of Para- 

 dise, on its back, near the wings, are feathers of a purple and blue colour; 

 but under the wings, and over all the belly, they are yellow coloured, as 

 in the common sort ; on the back of the neck they are mouse-coloured 

 mixed with green. It is remarkable in this species that there are before 

 the wings two roundish tufts of feathers, which are green edged* and may 

 be moved at pleasure by the bird-like wings. Instead of tail, he has twelve 

 or thirteen black, naked, wire-like shafts, banging promiscuously like fea- 

 thers. His strong legs have sharp claws ; Ins head is remarkably small ; 

 the eyes are likewise small, and surrounded by black. 



VIL The King Bird is about seven inches long, and somewhat larger 

 than the titmouse. Its head and eyes are small, the bill straight, the eyes 

 included in circles of black plumage; the crown of the head is fire coloured, 

 the back of the neck blood coloured, the neck and breast of a chestnut 

 colour, with a dark ring of the brightest emerald green. Its wings are in 

 proportion strong, and the quill feathers dark, with red sinning plumes, 

 spots, and stripes. The tail is straight, short, and brown. Two long 

 naked, black shafts project from the rump at least a hand's breadth beyond 

 the tail, having at their extremities semilunar twisted plumage, of the most 

 glaring green colour above, and dusky below. The belly is white, and 

 green sprinkled, and on each side is a tuft of long plumage, with a broad 

 margin, being on one side green, and on the other dusky. The back is 



