188 
HARPER’S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE, 
TUE KING AND TVVELVE-WIKED DIED OF FAKADISE. 
cies as to deserve a distinct generic name, and 
It has accordingly been called Cicinnurus regius. 
By the Malays it is called “ Burong rajah,” or 
King Bird, and by the natives of the Aru Isl¬ 
ands “Goby-goby.” 
This lovely little bird is only about six and 
a half inches long, partly owing to the very 
short tail, which does not surpass the some¬ 
what sipiare wings. Tlie head, thioat, and 
entire u])per surface are of the richest glossy 
crimson-red, shading to orange-crimson on the 
forehead, where the feathers extend beyond 
the nostrils more than half-waj’’ down the beak, 
■pbe plumage is excessively brilliant, shining in 
certain lights with a metallic or glassy lustre. 
The breast and belly are pure silky white, be¬ 
tween which color and the red of the thioat 
there is a broad band of rich metallic green, 
and there is a small spot of the same color 
close above each eye. Erom each side of the 
body, beneath the wing, springs a tuft of broad 
delicate feathers about an inch and a half long, 
of an ashy color, but tipped Avith a broad band 
of emerald-green, bordered within by a narrow 
line of buff; These illumes are concealed be¬ 
neath the Aving, but Avhen the bird pleases, can 
be raised and spread out so as to form an ele¬ 
gant semicircular fan on each shoulder. But 
another ornament still more extraordinary, and 
if possible more beautiful, adorns this little bird. 
The tAvo middle tail feathers are modilied into 
very slender Avire-like shafts, nearly six inches 
long, each of Avhich bears at the extremity, on 
1 the inner side only, a Aveb of an emerald-green 
