THE KING BIRD OF PARADISE. 
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dark woods there is always disappointment in seeing them, for, unless a 
glint of sunlight happens to fall on their brilliant plumage, you can 
make out only a small red bird ; and the common cardinal-bird of 
America is more beautiful as it is seen in the woods than is this really 
infinitely more beautiful little king bird of paradise." 
The king paradise-bird, to which reference is here made, is regal 
only by comparison with his congeners, and in virtue of his surpassing 
beauty. In reality, he is not quite the size of a thrush. But who cares 
to think of his diminutiveness when admiring the exquisite colours of 
his plumage, — colours of which words can afford no adequate idea ? A 
gloss like that of " spun glass " wavers over the cinnabar red which 
forms the prevailing tint of his gorgeous garb. The feathers on the 
head shade into a rich orange ; while beneath, from the breast down- 
wards, all is pure white, with the softness and sheen of silk, except the 
belt of deep metallic green that crosses the breast, and separates the 
snow from the red of the throat. A circular spot of the same metallic 
green glistens above each eye; the bill is yellow; while the feet and 
legs are clothed in a fine cobalt blue. So much for the colouring of 
this lovely bird. But he has other claims to the admiration that is 
always unsparingly bestowed upon him. From each side of the breast, 
but generally lying hidden under the wings, spring little tufts of 
grayish feathers about two inches long, and terminating in a broad 
band of intense emerald-green. The bird, at his pleasure, lifts these 
aigrettes, and, when the wings are elevated, expands them like a pair 
of fans. Then, again, the two middle tail-feathers take the form of 
slender wires about five inches in length, diverorins: in a graceful double 
curve. About half an inch of the end of this wire is webbed on the 
outer side only, and curling spirally inwards, the two extremities form 
a pair of glittering emerald buttons, hanging five inches below the 
body, and about five inches apart. As Mr. Wallace remarks, these 
ornaments of the breast-fans and the spiral tipped tail-wires are 
absolutely unique, not occurring on any other of the eight thousand 
difierent species of birds known to exist upon the earth. 
The king bird frequents the lower trees of the forests, where he 
displays the most remarkable activity, continually hopping from branch 
IG A 
