THE MALEO OF CELEBES. 
241 
three or four feet deep, just above high-water mark. The female 
having deposited a single large egg, and buried it beneath a layer of 
sand about twelve inches deep, returns with her mate to tlie neigh- 
bouring forest. At the end of ten or tAvelve days she visits the same 
spot to lay another egg; and this operation she repeats six to eight 
times during the season. It is noticeable that the male always escorts 
his spouse on these journeys, and assists her in making the nest. The 
appearance of these birds when walking on the beach is quite impres- 
sive. The glossy black and rosy white of the plumage, the helmeted 
head and elevated tail, like that of the common fowl, give a striking 
character, which is enhanced by their stately and somewhat sedate 
walk. Between the sexes the difference is very slight; in the male 
bird, however, the casque or bonnet at the back of the head, and 
the tubercles at the nostrils, are a little larger than in the female, 
and the fine rosy salmon colour a little deeper. They run quickly ; 
but if suddenly disturbed, wing their way, with a lumbering, noisy 
flight, to some neighbouring tree, where they settle on a low branch. 
It is probable that this, too, is their roosting-place at night. Every 
year the natives come from miles around to secure the maleos' eggs, 
which are of an exceedingly good flavour when quite fresh — surpass- 
ing that of hens' eggs. The colour of the shell is a pale brick red, or 
— but sometimes only — a pure white. They are elongate, and very 
slightly smaller at one end; measuring from four to four inches and 
a half in length, by two and a quarter to two and a half wide. 
BIRDS OF PARADISE. 
The Aru Islands are the chosen haunt of the beautiful birds of 
paradise, the most gracious and attractive of the inhabitants of the 
Bird World. They are found also in New Guinea; and to this com- 
paratively limited region, we know not why,, are these glorious 
creatures confined. Their plumage, glittering with all the dazzling 
gem-like hues of the humming-bird, or soft and warm and delicately 
tinted, or deepening with a rich intensity of colour that glows in the 
sunshine with a magical radiance, and their flow of graceful and wavy 
plumes that gently undulate in harmony with the curves of the body, 
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