GOLD-BREASTED BIRD OF PARADISE, 
narrow feathers, black at their roots, of a red- 
dish cast upwards, and terminating in golden 
tips, but so thick as to present externally only 
a gold colour, varying in it's lustre with re- 
flections of green, red, or violet, and some- 
times all together, according to the degrees of 
light and shade in which the bird is viewed. 
The back is a deep black, with a slight tinge 
of violet ; and the tail and wings, which are 
al&o black, have a velvet gloss. From the 
under part of the wings proceed long black 
feathers pointing upwards, which embrace the 
wings when closed: tlie beards of these fea- 
thers are not united, but separated hke tliose 
of the ostrich. This bird is most peculiarly 
distinguished from all others of tlie genus, by 
three long filaments, which spring from each 
ride of the head, and extend to a fourth part of 
the length of the tall, terminating in oval webs. 
These are entirclv black; and the shafts, on 
a minute inspcclion, appear slightly bearded on 
one side. .Thev are, at their origin, very close 
to each other; but, diverging into an angular 
form, become distant at their extremities. 'I'he 
bill is of a clear black, and the irides are yel- 
low. The legs and feet are also black. 
