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nomy, denotes so much as a revolving planet 
approaches nearer to, or recedes from, the 
sun, or centre of attraction. 
PARADISE, bird of. See Paradisea. 
PARADISEA, in ornithology, a genus of 
birds belonging to the order of pica.'. The 
beak is covered with a belt or collar of 
downy feathers at the base, and the feathers 
on the sides are very long. 
“ Birds of this genus (says Latham) have 
the bill slightly bending, the base covered 
with velvet-like feathers. The nostrils are 
small, and concealed by the feathers. The' 
tail consists of ten feathers ; the two middle 
ones, and sometimes more in several of the 
species, are very long, and webbed only at 
the base and tips. The legs and feet are very 
large and strong : they have three toes for- 
ward, one backward, and the middle con- 
nected to the outer one as far as the first 
joint. The whole of this genus have till late- 
ly been very imperfectly known ; few cabi- 
nets possessing more than one species, viz. 
the greater, or what is called the common 
bird of Paradise; nor has any set of birds 
given rise to more fables, the various tales 
concerning which are to be found in every 
author; such as, their never touching the 
ground from their birth to death; living 
wholly on the dew ; and being produced 
without legs. This last error is scarcely at 
this moment wholly eradicated. The cir- 
cumstance which gave rise to it did not in- 
deed at first proceed from an intention to de- 
ceive, but merely from accident. In the 
parts of the world which produce these birds, 
the natives made use of them as aigrets, and 
other ornaments of dress ; and in course 
threw away the less brilliant parts. The 
whole trouble they were at on this occasion 
was merely to skin the bird, and, after pull- 
ing off the legs, coarser parts of the wings, 
&c. thrust a stick down the throat into the 
body, letting an inch or two hang out ot the 
mouth, beyond the bill: on the bird’s drying, 
the skin collapsed about the stick, which be- 
came lixed, and supported the whole. They 
had then no more to do than to put this end 
of it into a socket fitted to receive it, or fasten 
it in some manner to the turban, &c. By 7 
degrees these were imported into the other 
isles for the same uses, and afterwards were 
coveted by the Japanese, Chinese, and Per- 
sians, in whose countries they 7 are frequently 
seen, as well as in many parts of India ; the 
grandees of these last parts not only orna- 
namenting themselves with these beautiful 
plumes, but adorning even their horses with 
the same.” 
Latham enumerates eight species, but sus- 
pects there may be more. 
1. The largest bird of paradise is common- 
ly two feet four inches in length ; the head is 
small; the bill hard and long, of a pale co- 
lour. The head and back part of the neck 
are lemon-coloured, a little black about the 
eyes ; about the neck the bird is of the 
brightest glossy emerald-green, soft like vel- 
vet , as is also the breast, which is black: the 
wiims are large and chesnut-coloured : the 
back part of the body is covered with long, 
straight, narrow feathers, of a pale-brown co- 
lour, similar to the plumes of the ostrich. 
These feathers are spread when the bird is 
on the wing ; for which reason he can keep 
very long in the air. On both sides of the 
P A II 
belly are two tufts of stiff and shorter fea- j 
thers, of a golden yellow 7 , and shining. From 
the rump proceed two long still shafts, which 
are feathered on their extremities. 
These birds are not found in Key 7 , an island 
50 Dutch miles east of Banda ; but they are 
found at the Aroo islands, lying 15 Dutch 
miles farther east titan Key, during the west- 
erly or dry 7 monsoon ; and they return to 
New Guinea as soon as the easterly or wet 
monsoon sets in. They come always in a 
flock of 30 or 40, and are led by a bird which 
the inhabitants of Aroo call the king. This 
leader is black, with red spots ; and constant- 
ly flies higher than the rest ot the flock, 
which never forsake him, but settle when he 
settles; a circumstance that frequently proves 
their ruin when the king lights on the ground, 
whence they are not able to rise on account 
of the singular structure and disposition of 
their plumage. They are likewise unable to 
fly with the wind, which would ruin their 
loose plumage; but take their flight constant- 
ly against it, cautious not to venture out in 
hard-blowing weather, as a strong wind fre- 
quently obliges them to come to the ground. 
During their flight, they cry like starlings. 
Their note, however, approaches more to 
the croaking of ravens; which is heard very 
plainly when they are in distress Irom a 
fresh gale blowing on the back of their plu- 
mage. In Aroo, these birds settle on the 
highest trees, especially on the ficus benja- 
mina of the hortus malabaricus, commonly 
called the waringa tree. '1 he natives catch 
them with birdlime or in nooses, or shoot 
them with blunt arrows; but though some 
are still alive when they 7 fall into their hands, 
the catchers kill them immediately, and some- 
times cut the legs off; then they draw out 
the entrails, dry and fumigate the bodies with 
sulphur or smoke only, and sell them at 
Banda for half a rixdollar each ; but at Aroo 
they may be bought for a spike-nail, or a 
piece of old iron. Flocks of these birds are 
often seen Hying from one island to (he other 
against the wind. In ‘case they find the wind 
become too powerful, they fly straight up 
into the air, till they come to a place where 
it is less agitated, and then continue their 
flight. During the eastern monsoefti, their 
tails are moulted, so that they have them 
only during four months of the western mon- 
soon. See Plate Nat. Hist. fig. 315. 
2. The smaller bird of Paradise is about 
20 inches long. His beak is lead-coloured, 
and paler at the point. The eyes are small, 
and inclosed in black about the neck. T he 
head and back of the neck are ot a dirty yel- 
low, the back of a greyish yellow, the breast 
and belly 7 of a dusky colour, the wings small 
and chesnut-coloured. The long plumage is 
about a foot in length, and paler than in the 
large species; as in general the colours of 
this bird are less bright than the former. T he 
two long feathers ot the tail are constantly 
thrown away by 7 the natives. T his is in all 
respects like the greater sort ; and they like- 
wise follow a king or leader, who is, however, 
blacker, with a purplish cast, and liner in co- 
lour than the rest. 
3 and 4. The large black bird of Paradise 
is brought without wings or legs tor sale ; so 
that no accurate description of it has yet been 
given. Its figure, when stutTed, is narrow and 
round, but stretched in length to the extent 
of four spans. T he plumage on the head, 
Y y 2 
neck, and belly, is black and ve]vet-like, with 
a hue of purple and gold, which appears vert/ 
strong, The bill is blackish, and one inch fn 
length. On both sides are two bunches ot 
leathers, w hich have the appearance o: wings, 
although they are very different, the wings 
being cut off by the natives. This plumage 
is soft, broad, similar to peacocks’ feathers, 
with a greenish hue. Birds of this kind are 
brought only from one particular place of 
New Guinea. Besides the large black bird 
of Paradise, there is still another sort, whose 
plumage is equal in length, but thinner in 
body, black above, and without any remark- 
able gloss, not having those shining peacock- 
feathers which are found on the greater spe- 
cies. This wants likewise the three long- 
pointed feathers of the tail belonging to the 
larger black species. 
5. The last species we shall mention is the 
king’s bird. This creature is about seven 
inches long, and somewhat larger than a tit- 
mouse. Its head and eyes are small, the bill 
straight, the eyes included in circles ot black 
plumage, the crown of the head is llame-co- 
loured, the back of the neck blood-coloured, 
tlie neck and breast of a chesnut-colour with 
a ring of the brightest emerald-green. Its 
wings are in proportion strong, and the quill- 
feathers dark, with red shining plumes, spots, 
and stripes. The tail is straight, short, and 
brown. Two long naked black shafts project 
from the rump, at least a hand-breadth be- 
yond the tail, having at their extremities se- 
milunar twisted plumage, of the most glaring 
green colour above, and dusky below. r I he 
belly is white and green sprinkled ; and on 
each side is a tuft ot long plumage, feathered 
with a broad margin, being on one side green 
and on the other dusky. T he back is blood- 
red and brown, shining like silk. T he legs 
are in size like those of a lark, three tore- toes 
and one back-toe. This bird associates not 
with any of the other birds of Paradise ; but 
flits solitary from bush to bush, wherever he 
secs red berries, without ever getting on tall 
trees. 
PARADOX, in philosophy, a proposition 
seemingly absurd, as being contrary to some- 
received opinion, but yet true in fact. 
No science abounds more with paradoxes 
than geometry: thus, that a right line should 
continually approach to the hyperbola, and 
yet never reach it, is a true paradox; and in 
the same- manner, a spiral may continually 
approach to a point, and yet not reach it, iu 
any number of revolutions, however great. 
PARALLACTIC, in general, something 
relating to the parallax of heavv-^.j bodies. 
See Parallax. 
The parallactic angle of a star, &c. is the 
difference of the angles GEA (Plate Misceli, 
fig. 1790, BTA, under which its true and 
apparent distance from the zenith is seen ; or, 
which is the same thing, it is the angle TSE. 
The sines of the paiallactic angles ALT. 
AST’ (fig. 180.), at the same or equal d.s- 
tances, ZS, from the zenith, are in the reci- 
procal ratio of the distances I L and I S Irom 
the centre ot the earth. 
PARALLAX, in astronomy, denotes a 
change of the apparent place of any heavenly 
body, 5 caused by being seen from different 
points of view; dr it is the difference beweva 
the true and apparent distance ot tuny hea- 
venly body from the zenith. 
