BIRDS. 231 
legs cut off for the convenience of packing, it was reported, 
and at one time earnestly believed, that the Bird of Para- 
dise had no legs naturally, and that it lived always on the 
wing. 
The native place of these birds is New Guinea and the 
neighbouring islands; where they are generally found in 
flocks of twenty or thirty, roosting on teak-trees, or on 
fig-trees. When they fly it is always against the wind, 
that it may not ruffle their long and sweeping plumage; 
which it would do if they fled in the same direction as the 
wind blew, as, if the wind came from behind, then it would 
blow their long tails over their backs. They always, 
however, take shelter from storms in the most dense and 
sheltered thickets. They feed principally on figs and the 
berries of the teak, but it is supposed that they also take 
some insects. The note of the Bird of Paradise is very 
unpleasant, and resembles the cawing of a raven. 
THE NUTHATCH, OR NUTJOBBER 
(Sitta Europcea,) 
Is less than a chaffinch. The head, neck, and beak are of 
an ash-colour ; the sides under the wings red ; the throat 
and breast of a pale yellow ; the chin is white, and the 
feathers under the tail are red, with white tips. The 
Nuthatch feeds upon nuts, which he hoards in the hollow 
part of a tree : and it is pleasing to see him fetch a nut 
