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BEArXIFUL BIEDS. 
current. Their feathers must tlius in so far assist the 
birds in finding out the direction of those places 
where they can feed.* 
During very rough weather the Birds of Paradise 
remain in their retreats, the flocculent nature of their 
plumage rendering them unable to contend with strong 
winds or heavy rains. 
The generic characters of the Paradise Birds are, 
the bill of moderate size, straight in its general line, 
but arched in 
the culmen, and 
slightly hooked 
at the tip of 
the upper man- 
dible, in which 
there is either 
no notch or a 
mere rudiment 
of one ; nostrils basal and lateral, open, but con- 
cealed among the feathers at the base of the bill. 
The tarsi and toes are stout; the former generally 
short ; the latter three to the front and one behind ; 
the middle toe shorter than the tarsus, the outer 
united to it at its base, and the inner joined to half 
the length of the first phalanx, the hinder toe larger 
and stronger than the others. The first five quills of 
the wings are nearly of equal length, and the sixth or 
seventh usually the longest. 
There are several species of Paradise Birds, whose 
characters are tolerably known ; but others have only 
been observed by the naturalist in a mutilated state ; 
* British Cyclopsedia. 
