iThe fuppofed King of the greater Birds of Paradise* 
T HIS Bird is figured as near its natural Bignefs as I could draw it. I believe, com¬ 
paratively, it may be about the Size of a Chafinch, its Bill longer, and its Legs 
ftronger in Proportion ; it hath a very fhort Tail, the Wings when clofed reaching a 
good Way beyond it. 
The Bill is pretty firaight and fomething flender, of a yellow Colour, about an Inch 
long, if meafur’d to the Slits or Angles of the Mouth. The Eyes are fmall, placed on 
each Side the Head, juft over the Angles of the Mouth. The upper Mandible of the 
Bill is half Way cover’d with Feathers, like Velvet, of an Orange-Colour. The 
Head is cover’d with plufh-like Feathers, (which is a Charadteriftick of this Genus) the 
Neck, Back, upper Sides of the Wings and Tail have Feathers of the common Make, 
allfrom Head to Tail of a full red Colour, a little inclining to Chefnut, beautifully 
glofly ; the under or forward Part of the Neck has a Mixture of Black blended with the 
Red, like the black Throat of a Cock-Sparrow ; the Infides of the greater Feathers of 
the Wings are of a reddifh Yellow, lighter than they are above; the inner Covert- 
Feathers of the Wings are white; the under Side of the Tail is dufky : Under each 
Wing is a remarkable Tuft of Feathers, each confifting of feven or eight in Number, 
of a dark, blackifh, brown Colour, with very fine, glofiy, green Tips, each Feather 
having a tranfverfe Bar, or Line of a whitifh Colour, parting the green Tip from the 
dufky Part of the Feather. I have extended the Wings in this Figure the better to 
fhew tbefe Feathers. It hath on the Breaft a half Moon-like Mark, the Points or 
Horns pointing upwards, of a dark green Colour, fhining with a bright Glofs like the 
Necks of Mallards; this Spot is divided from the Neck by a yellowifh light Line, 
which pafies tranfverfly immediately above it. The Belly, Thighs, and Coverts un¬ 
der the Tail are White, tho’ the lower Parts of the Thighs about the Knees are a little 
brownifh. From the upper Side of the middle of the Tail there fprang two ftiff, naked 
Stems of Feathers, about fix Inches long, of a dark-brown Colour, tho’ toward their 
Points they were befet on one Side with Webs, and curled round, fo as to form circular 
Terminations, flat, and fhining with a changeable Colour partaking of Red and Green. 
The Legs are pretty long and ftrong ; it hath four Toes, ftanding after the ufual Manner, 
all of a dark-brown Colour; the Claws are firong, and of a light Horn-Colour. 
All thefe Birds are brought to ns from fome Part or other of the Eajl-Indies , but chiefly, (by 
Report) from the Spice-IJlands, pofleffed by the Hollanders. That from which this Draught was- 
taken was a very perfedt dried Bird, preferved in the Mufeum of the Royal Society, London , (Anno 
1742). This Bird, I believe, is defcribed by our Countryman Mr. Willughby , P. 96, of his 
Hiftory of Birds ; but finding my Subjedt differ a good Deal from his Defcription, I imagine 
this to be more Perfedt, and as the Figure in Willughby is very final], and meanly defign’d, I 
hope this will be more acceptable. I find alfo a Figure of this Bird in a Natural Hiftory, pub- 
lifhed at Awjlerdam by Albert Seba , Vol. I. Tab. 37. which varies a little from this; but as that 
is a great and very expenfive Work, and not like to fall into the Hands of many of my Coun¬ 
trymen, it has not deterr’d me from giving the Publick this Figure and Defcription. I follow 
Willughby in giving a Royal Title to tins Bird, tho 5 I think the before defcrib’d merits that Ho¬ 
nour better. 
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