Hufistein's Magnificent Bird of Paradise. 'M] 
thai \\\v hens and young males being of an inconspicuous 
coloui arc not afraid of showing themselves but, when the 
males assume adult plumage they kee[) still to avoid observa- 
tion. The colouration of the adults rather bears out this 
theory, observe one of these birds from below, the dark green 
breast is very like a vine or other leaf in shape and the 
tail wires, looking like tendrils, add to the I'esenibhuicc. 
Again look at the back of the bird and I think one would be 
at onco struck by the resemblance to the end of a shaft of 
bi'iyht siuiliHht penetrating the jungle and shining' on a leaf 
;n the undergrowth. The Hunstein's ai'e rather \o!'a( ioa,- 
feeders and scatter the food about a great deal, also they 
are great l)athers. They seem harmless and I have never seen 
them offer to fight. The display is curious but I have rai'cly 
seen it for the birds are very shy, it consists chiefly in 
expanding the breast feathers laterally with quick jerks. 
Bird Life Through the Camera. 
By H. Willfoed. 
f Contijiued from paije 276). 
Painted Finches (Emhlema picta): The supplement- 
ary photos of this species, illustrating these notes, will I hope 
not be out of place, for apart from any other value, they 
convey to those who have not bred any of the Foreign (irass- 
linches in their aviaries, a perfect idea of the nature of site, 
manner in which all these birds build, demeanour, etc., under 
the conditions of aviary life and incidentally also, open out to 
us in some measure, somewhat of their life history in their 
native haunts— as those who have been fortunate enough to 
liave them go to nest will be able to testify. 
We have in all the pictures the typical donuid nest, 
c()n.->tructed of hay or dried grasses and lined with feathers or 
othei- soft material, and we may reasonably conclude that the 
nests they build in their native wilds are very similar, 
although I believe they then choose very thick set thorny 
hushes as a site for their nest, as these alTord them some 
I)rotection from any lurking danger common to their native 
