NATURAL HISTORY. tox 
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“BIRD OF PARADISE. 
Accorpmc to fome naturalifts, there are nine 
different forts of this bird; but Mr. Edwards de- 
fcribes only the three following ; viz. The greater 
bird of Paradife, the king of the birds. of Paradife 
and the golden bird of Paradife.  —_ 
The bird of Paradife. as defcribed by Moregrave, 
is about the fize of a fwallow. ‘The feathers about 
the beak are as foft as filk, green and brown above, 
and black below; the upper part of the neck is of a 
gold colour, but lower down, it isgold, mixed with 
green ; the long feathers on the fides, near the rife, 
ane 9 agold colour, and the other parts of a whitifh 
yellow. | 
_ The king of the birds of Paradife, mentioned by 
Clufius, is the leaft of the fpecies. . 
The golden bird of Paradife, has a gold coloured 
neek and beak ; the feet and toes are yellow; breatft 
and back pale orange colour; and the large feathers 
on the wings and tail, are of a deep orange colour. 
The idea that thefe birds have no feet, is proved to 
be an error by Mr. Ray, who fays, their feet are 
neither {mall nor weak, but large and long, armed 
with crooked talons, like birds of prey. 
The great beauty and variety diiplayed in every 
part of the creation, continually affords, to the con- 
templative mind, frefh inftances of the power, wifdom 
and goodnefs, of the Divine and Almighty Architect. 
The bird of Paradife, which is a native of the Mo- 
lucca Iflands, exceeds every other bird of the pie 
kind in beauty; a proof, that thofe groves which 
produce. the richeft fpices, produce alfo the fineft 
birds. The inhabitants, fenfible of the fuperiority of 
Hea birds, call them, by way of preeminence, God’s 
irds.: | 
, They migrate with their king (which is fuperior 
both in fize and plumage) about Auguft, when. th¢ 
flormy feafon begins, and yeturn whenitisover, — 
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