THE LIVING WORLD. 
293 
King Bird of Paradise ( Cicinnurus regius ) is so called on account of its 
Imperious habits, and its apparent assumption of superiority .over other species. 
But though exercising a sovereignty, this bird is very small, ranking as the 
least of its congeners, and scarcely rivalling a sparrow in size. It differs from 
others of the paradisea species in that it is gregarious, going usually in flocks 
of twenty or thirty, over which one seems to preside as king. The natives of 
.New Guinea declare that this ruler of the flock may be distinguished by two 
.spots, resembling eyes, on the tail feathers ; they also affirm that in case the 
.king is killed all those by which he is surrounded flock down upon the body 
and refuse to leave it, so that they fall easy victims to the native hunters. In 
•color the upper parts are a rich chestnut brown, washed with delicate hues of 
purple, and the belly a pure white. Across the breast is a band of golden green, 
•extending to the shoulders, from which springs a plume of feathers of dusky- 
brown tipped with green. From the tail coverts project two filose shafts, which 
•expand at the tips into spiral tufts of an emerald-green color. 
Radiant Crowned ( Parotia sefilata ) is the name given to a royal species of 
sun-birds, distinguished for their brilliant plumage and the six filamentous shafts 
that spring from the crown, three on a side. D’Albertis is the only traveller that 
I remember who has seen and described this beautiful bird, and from his account 
I therefore quote: “ After standing still for some moments in the middle of 
the little glade, the beautiful bird peered about to see if all was safe, and then 
he began to move the long feathers of his head, and to raise and lower a small 
tuft of white feathers above his beak, which shone in the rays of the sun like 
burnished silver; he also raised and lowered the crest of stiff feathers, almost 
like scales, and glittering like bits of bright metal, with which his neck was 
adorned. He spread and contracted the long feathers on his sides in a way that 
made him appear now larger and again smaller than his real size, and jumping 
first on one end and then on the other, he placed himself proudly in an attitude 
•of combat, as though he imagined himself fighting with an invisible foe. All 
this time he was uttering a curious note, as though calling on some one to 
admire his beauty, or perhaps challenging an enemy. The deep silence of the 
forest was stirred by the echoes of his voice.” 
Other species of sun-birds are found in the Arroo Islands, Java, Celebes 
and Philippine Islands, among which may be mentioned Wallace’s Bright 
Wing (. Semioptera wallacii ), distinguished for having two thin but long feathers 
standing erect over each wing; Schlegel’s Bird ( Schlegelia wilsonii ), which is 
covered with magnificent feathers of a cobalt blue, especially about the head, 
and velvety black on breast and tail. 
The above includes all the species that have up to this time been described 
by naturalists, a list which appears altogether too brief, and found in a range 
too circumscribed for those whose love for the beautiful make them wish that 
the woods of every country were animate with such magnificent and splendid 
forms as only the barbarians of Oceanica are permitted to enjoy. 
PARROTS AND COCKATOOS. 
The brilliant plumage of several species of parrots entitles them to a 
position next to the birds of Paradise, notwithstanding the fact of total dis¬ 
similarity of general characteristic. The line of connection between parrot and 
