BIRDS or PARADISE. 
125 
very peculiar mixture of greenish lustre, which can 
hardly he called a reflection, for the hue of it is velvety 
rather than metallic, and it is a verv intense and rich 
colour ; though there is so small a portion of this 
green that it is only visible in certain positions of the 
light with regard to the feathers, y et w'hen the eye can 
catch it, it is of the most intensely rich shade that can 
possibly be imagined.* 
The habits of this species are hut little known. 
M. Lesson says, the Birds of Paradise, or at least the 
Emerald (P. apocld), the only species concerning which 
we possess authentic intelligence, live in troops in the 
vast forests of the country of the Papuans, a group of 
islands situated under the equator, and which is com- 
posed of the islands Arou, Wagiou, and the great 
island called Xew Giuinea. They are birds of pas- 
sage, changing their quarters according to the mon- 
soons. The females congregate in troops, assemble on 
the tops of the highest trees in the forest, and all cry 
together to call the males. These last are always 
alone, in the midst of some fifteen females, which 
compose their seraglio, after the manner of the galli- 
naceous birds. 
M. Lesson says, that while he was on a shooting 
excursion the Manucode presented itself twice, and 
that they killed the male and female. This species 
seems to be monogamous, or perhaps it is only 
separated into pairs at the period of laying. In the 
woods this bird has no brilliancy ; its fine-coloured 
plumage is not discovered, and the tints of the female 
are dull. It loves to take its station on the teak- 
* British Cyclopaedia. 
