LESSER KING BIRD OF FARAD ISB. 
i:incocliata, which signiHes " Bird of God." It 
is usually called the King of thfe Birds of Para- 
dise; but, this s^peliation is drawn from fabii- 
r lous accounts. Clusius was informed by the 
[' mariners, from a tradition which prevailed m 
the East, that each of the two species of the 
Birds of Paradise had it's leader, whose impe- 
rial mandates were received with submissive 
obedience by a numerous train of subjects: 
and, that his Majesty always flew above the 
fiock; and issued orders for inspecting and 
tasting the springs, where they might drink 
with safety, &C. This ridiculous fable con- 
soles Nieremberg for tlie loss of the multitude o£ 
vulgar opinions which Clusius has erased from 
the history of birds ; and this, too, may serve 
to fiX our idea of that compiler's judgment." 
I ' BafFon remarks, that the people of India 
sometimes take whole flocks of birds, by poi- 
I soning the fountains. " The King Bird of Para- 
' dise," he adds, " much resembles the rest. Like 
\ them, his head is small ; his. eyes, still smaller, 
are placed near the corner of the opening of the 
bill ; Ills feet are pretty long, and stout, and the 
colours of his plumage are glossy. The two 
hlarncnts of his tail, too, are nearly similar: 
I except, 
! 
