BIRDS OF PARADISE. 
{PARADISE A PAPUANA.) 
When the first two birds of paradise arrived at the 
Gardens their plumes were quite short, say about 5 in. long ; 
the birds having moulted, the new feathers were growing 
in a thick bunch on each side, below their wings. The 
birds, however, appeared in good health, and were active 
and lively. I soon found how fond they were of meal- 
worms and other insects, they fed freely upon fruit, rice, 
etc. ; a little cooked meat was also acceptable to them. 
During the voyage they had been supplied with living 
cockroaches, and a tin containing a number of these 
insects came to the Gardens with them. Their mode 
of hopping about from perch to perch and clinging to 
the bars or wires of the cage, reminded me of a jay or 
jackdaw. They Avere fond of a bath, and were very 
careful in dressing and drying their fine plumes. The 
neAv feathers were about two months in arriving at full 
perfection, and it was a charming sight to see them in 
full plumage. When they uttered the loud call-notes, the 
first sounding like cor-cor-cor-cor,” repeated Avith great 
rapidity and generally followed by ‘‘ whark-whark-whark- 
Avhook-Avhook,” and terminating Avith a low guttural sound 
pronounced with great energy, I was struck with Avonder. 
During this vocal display the bird Avould bend the body 
forAvard, and straining the Avings wide open raise them 
upAvards, frequently over the head ; at the same time it 
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