482 



GREAT PARADISE-BIRD. 



length of an inch, being barbed on each side by a 

 shallow web: yet the whole length of the naked 

 shaft, if narrowly inspected, will be found to ex- 

 hibit along each side a continued series of ex- 

 tremely short barbs or filaments, and in some 

 specimens there is no appearance of any web at 

 the tips : the legs and feet, which are rather large 

 and strong in proportion to the bird, are of a brown 

 colour, and the latter are furnished with strong 

 claws. The female is said to resemble the male, 

 but to have the two long shafts on the rump of 

 somewhat less extent ; and both sexes are said to 

 be destitute of the long side-feathers during about 

 four months of the year. 



This species, the first of the genus made known 

 to the Europeans, was imported about the year 

 1522 by Antony Pigafetta, who accompanied 

 Magellan in his voyage round the globe. Pigafetta 

 had ocular demonstration that the bird, like others, 

 was furnished with legs, and that the natives of 

 the regions where it was found usually cut them 

 oft', previous to selling them, considering the legs 

 as parts of no importance; and this he has recorded 

 in his journal of the voyage. In consequence how- 

 ever of the general mutilation, a notion prevailed 

 in Europe that the bird was naturally destitute of 

 feet, and that, unlike the vulgar race of birds, it 

 floated perpetually in the atmosphere; or, if it 

 ever had occasion to rest, suspended itself for a 

 short time by the two long naked shafts or fila- 

 ments which spring from the lower part of the 

 back; thus falsely conceiving a muscular structure 



