fuch flories, too ridiculous even to mention. This laft error is
fcarcely at this moment wholly eradicated.
The circumftance 'which gave rife to this, 'did not indeed, at
firft, proceed from an intention to deceive, but merely from accident.
In the parts of the world which produce thefe , birds,
the natives made ufe of them as Aigrets, and other ornaments of
drefs ; and in courfe threw away the left brilliant parts. The
whole trouble they were at on this occafion, was merely to lkin
the bird, and, after pulling off the legs, coarfer parts of the wings,
,&c. thruft a ftick down the throat into the body, letting an inch
or two hang out of the mouth, beyond the bill: on the bird’s
drying, the lkin collapfed about the flick, which became fixed,
and lupported the whole. They had then no more to do than
to put this end of it into a focket fitted to receive it, or fallen it
in fome manner to the turban, &c. By degrees thefe were imported
into the other ifles for the fame ufes, and afterwards were
coveted by the Japanefe, Cbineje, and Perjians, in whofe countries
they are frequently feen, as well as in many parts of India; the
Grandees of thefe laft parts not only ornamenting themfelves
with thefe beautiful plumes, but adorning even their horfes
with the fame.
I believe the whole of this race to be natives of Hew Guinea,
migrating into the neighbouring ifles for a time, but returning
to New Guinea in the breeding-feafon; and never at all found but
within a few degrees of the equator.
The Dutch get them chiefly from Banda ; and it is there that
the ftory of their being without legs has been propagated, in
order to enhance the value. The natives of Aroo bring them
to that place by way of traffic, prepared as before mentioned,
and put into the hollow of a bamboo for further prefervation.
We
We are able here to enumerate eight fpecies, the whole of which
Have come under our infpeftion; but are confident thatthere muft
be ftill others, both from the relations of authors, and the fragments
we have met with, bearing no relation to thofe already mentioned;
the deferibing o f which would give not the leaft information to
the reader.
Baradifea apoda, Lin. Syfi. u p. 166. N° 1. J .
L ’Oifeaunde-paradis, Brif.0rn.1u p.130. N° 1. pi. 13. f. 1.— Buf. oif. 4- GREATER
iii. p. 151. pi. 12.— P l. enl. 254. PARADISE
Manucaudiatie, Raii.Syn. p. 20. N° 1» p. 21. N° 3, 5, 6, 7. N° 22.
N° 8, 9 f
Birds-of Paradife, Will. cm. p.. 9.1. N° 1. p. 92. N° 3, 5, 6,- 7.-
p. 93. 8, 9 ? pi. 11.
Greater Bird o f Paradife, Ed-iv. pi. n o .— Allin. iii. pi. 9,
Great Bird of Paradife from Aroo, Forr. Voy. p. 133-,
Br. Muf. Lev. Muf.
e-r^HIS fpecies appears from the plumage to be as big as a D escription,
t Pigeon, but the body, fcarce exceeds that of a Thrufh. The
length, from the end of the bill to that of the tail, is twelve inches
and a half: the bill greenifh yellow, and an inch and a half long :
the eyes very fmall: the head, which is likewife fmall in proportion
to the bird, the throat, and ; neck, are covered'with very fhorr,.
denfe, ftiff feathers thofe on the head and hind part of the neck
are. of a pale-gold-colour : the bafe of the bill is. furrounded with
black feathers, appearing like velvet,.changing in different lights
to green: the fore part of the neck is green-gold: the lower
part of the neck behind, the back, wings, and tail, are cheftnut:
breaft deeper cheftnut, verging to purple : from under the wings
2 fpring;
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