the malay archipelago-2-第59节

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erences　of　_colour_　would　be　those　most　early　accumulated　and　fixed；　and　would　therefore　appear　soonest　in　the　young　birds；　and　this　is　exactly　what　occurs　in　the　Paradise　Birds。　Of　all　variations　in　the　_form_　of　birds'　feathers；　none　are　so　frequent　as　those　in　the　head　and　tail。　These　occur　more；　or　less　in　every　family　of　birds；　and　are　easily　produced　in　many　domesticated　varieties；　while　unusual　developments　of　the　feathers　of　the　body　are　rare　in　the　whole　class　of　birds；　and　have　seldom　or　never　occurred　in　domesticated　species。　In　accordance　with　these　facts；　we　find　the　scale…formed　plumes　of　the　throat；　the　crests　of　the　head；　and　the　long　cirrhi　of　the　tail；　all　fully　developed　before　the　plumes　which　spring　from　the　side　of　the　body　begin　to　mane　their　appearance。　If；　on　the　other　hand；　the　male　Paradise　Birds　have　not　acquired　their　distinctive　plumage　by　successive　variations；　but　have　been　as　they　are　mow　from　the　moment　they　first　appeared　upon　the　earth；　this　succession　becomes　at　the　least　unintelligible　to　us；　for　we　can　see　no　reason　why　the　changes　should　not　take　place　simultaneously；　or　in　a　reverse　order　to　that　in　which　they　actually　occur。

What　is　known　of　the　habits　of　this　bird；　and　the　way　in　which　it　is　captured　by　the　natives；　have　already　been　described　at　page　362。

The　Red　Bird　of　Paradise　offers　a　remarkable　case　of　restricted　range；　being　entirely　confined　to　the　small　island　of　Waigiou；　off　the　north…west　extremity　of　New　Guinea；　where　it　replaces　the　allied　species　found　in　the　other　islands。

The　three　birds　just　described　form　a　well…marked　group；　agreeing　in　every　point　of　general　structure；　in　their　comparatively　large　size；　the　brown　colour　of　their　bodies；　wings；　and　tail；　and　in　the　peculiar　character　of　the　ornamental　　plumage　which　distinguishes　the　male　bird。　The　group　ranges　nearly　over　the　whole　area　inhabited　by　the　family　of　the　Paradiseidae；　but　each　of　the　species　has　its　own　limited　region；　and　is　never　found　in　the　same　district　with　either　of　its　close　allies。　To　these　three　birds　properly　belongs　the　generic　title　Paradisea；　or　true　Paradise　Bird。

The　next　species　is　the　Paradisea　regia　of　Linnaeus；　or　Ding　Bird　of　Paradise；　which　differs　so　much　from　the　three　preceding　species　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　Islands　〃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　somewhat　square　wings。　The　head；　throat；　and　entire　upper　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…way　down　the　beak。　The　plumage　is　excessively　brilliant；　shining　in　certain　lights　with　a　metallic　or　glassy　lustre。　The　breast　and　belly　are　pure　silky　white；　between　which　colour　and　the　red　of　the　throat　there　is　a　broad　band　of　rich　metallic　green；　and　there　is　a　small　spot　of　the　same　colour　close　above　each　eye。　From　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　colour；　but　tipped　with　a　broad　band　of　emerald　green；　bordered　within　by　a　narrow　line　of　buff：　These　plumes　are　concealed　beneath　the　wing；　but　when　the　bird　pleases；　can　be　raised　and　spread　out　so　as　to　form　an　elegant　semicircular　fan　on　each　shoulder。　But　another　ornament　still　more　extraordinary；　and　if　possible　more　beautiful；　adorns　this　little　bird。　The　two　middle　tail　feathers　are　modified　into　very　slender　wirelike　shafts；　nearly　six　inches　long；　each　of　which　bears　at　the　extremity；　on　the　inner　side　only；　a　web　of　an　emerald　green　colour；　which　is　coiled　up　into　a　perfect　spiral　disc；　and　produces　a　most　singular　and　charming　effect。　The　bill　is　orange　yellow；　and　the　feet　and　legs　of　a　fine　cobalt　blue。　（See　upper　figure　on　the　plate　at　the　commencement　of　this　chapter。）

The　female　of　this　little　gem　is　such　a　plainly　coloured　bird；　that　it　can　at　first　sight　hardly　be　believed　to　belong　to　the　same　species。　The　upper　surface　is　of　a　dull　earthy　brown；　a　slight　tinge　of　orange　red　appearing　only　on　the　margins　of　the　quills。　Beneath；　it　is　of　a　paler　yellowish　brown；　scaled　and　banded　with　narrow　dusky　markings。　The　young　males　are　exactly　like　the　female；　and　they　no　doubt　undergo　a　series　of　changes　as　singular　as　those　of　Paradisea　rubra；　but；　unfortunately；　I　was　unable　to　obtain　illustrative　specimens。

This　exquisite　little　creature　frequents　the　smaller　trees　in　the　thickest　parts　of　the　forest；　feeding　on　various　fruits；　often　of　a　very　large　size　for　so　small　a　bird。　It　is　very　active　both　on　its　wings　and　feet；　and　makes　a　whirring　sound　while　flying；　something　like　the　South　American　manakins。　It　often　flutters　its　wings　and　displays　the　beautiful　fan　which　adorns　its　breast；　while　the　star…bearing　tail　wires　diverge　in　an　elegant　double　curve。　It　is　tolerably　plentiful　in　the　Aru　Islands；　which　led　to　it；　being　brought　to　Europe　at　an　early　period　along　with　Paradisea　apoda。　It　also　occurs　in　the　island　of　Mysol　and　in　every　part　of　New　Guinea　which　has　been　visited　by　naturalists。

We　now　come　to　the　remarkable　little　bird　called　the　〃Magnificent；〃　first　figured　by　Buffon；　and　named　Paradisea　speciosa　by　Boddaert；　which；　with　one　allied　species；　has　been　formed　into　a　separate　genus　by　Prince　Buonaparte；　under　the　name　of　Diphyllodes；　from　the　curious　double　mantle　which　clothes　the　back。

The　head　is　covered　with　short　brown　velvety　feathers；　which　advance　on　the　back　so　as　to　cover　the　nostrils。　From　the　nape　springs　a　dense　mass　of　feathers　of　a　straw…yellow　colour；　and　about　one　and　a　half　inches　long；　forming　a　mantle　over　the　upper　part　of　the　back。　Beneath　this；　and　forming　a　band　about　one…　third　of　an　inch　beyond　it；　is　a　second　mantle　of　rich；　glossy；　reddish…brown　fathers。　The　rest　of　the　bath　is　orange…brown；　the　tail…coverts　and　tail　dark　bronzy；　the　wings　light　orange…buff：　The　whole　under　surface　is　covered　with　an　abundance　of　plumage　springing　from　the　margins　of　the　breast；　and　of　a　rich　deep　green　colour；　with　changeable　hues　of　purple。　Down　the　middle　of　the　breast　is　a　broad　band　of　scaly　plumes　of　the　same　colour；　while　the　chin　and　throat　are　of　a　rich　metallic　bronze。　From　the　middle　of　the　tail　spring　two　narrow　feathers　of　a　rich　steel　blue；　and　about　ten　inches　long。　These　are　webbed　on　the　inner　side　only；　and　curve　outward；　so　as　to　form　a　double　circle。

From　what　we　know　of　the　habits　of　allied　species；　we　may　be　sure　that　the　greatly　developed　plumage　of　this　bird　is　erected　and　displayed　in　some　remarkable　manner。　The　mass　of　feathers　on　the　under　surface　are　probably　expanded　into　a　hemisphere；　while　the　beautiful　yellow　mantle　is　no　doubt　elevated　so　as　to　give　the　bird　a　very　different　appearance　from　that　which　it　presents　in　the　dried　and　flattened　skins　of　the　natives；　through　which　alone　it　is　at　present　known。　The　feet　appear　to　be　dark　blue。

This　rare　and　elegant　little　bird　is　found　only　on　the　mainland　of　New　Guinea；　and　in　the　island　of　Mysol。

A　still　more　rare　and　beautiful　species　than　the　last　is　the　Diphyllodes　wilsoni；　described　by　Mr。　Cassin　from　a　native　skin　in　the　rich　museum　of　Philadelphia。　The　same　bird　was　afterwards　named　〃Diphyllodes　respublica〃　by　Prince　Buonaparte；　and　still　later；　〃Schlegelia　calva；〃　by　Dr。　Bernstein；　who　was　so　fortunate　as　to　obtain　fresh　specimens　in　Waigiou。

In　this　species　the　upper　mantle　is　sulphur　yellow；　the　lower　one　and　the　wings　pure　red；　the　breast　plumes　dark　green；　and　the　lengthened　middle　tail　feathers　much　shorter　than　in　the　allied　species。　The　most　curious　difference　is；　however；　that　the　top　of　the　head　is　bald；　the　bare　skin　being　of　a　rich　cobalt　blue；　crossed　by　several　lines　of　black　velvety　feathers。

It　is　about　the　same　size　as　Diphyllodes　speciosa；　and　is　no　doubt　entirely　confined　to　the　island　of　Waigiou。　The　female；　as　figured　and　described　by　Dr。　Bernstein；　is　very　like　that　of　Cicinnurus　regius；　being　similarly　banded　beneath；　and　we　may　therefore　conclude　that　its　near　ally；　the　〃Magnificent；〃　is　at　least　equally　plain　in　this　sex；　of　which　specimens　have　not　yet　been　obtained。

The　Superb　Bird　of　Paradise　was　first　figured　by　Buffon；　and　was　named　by　Boddaert；　Paradisea　atra；　from　the　black　ground　colour　of　its　plumage。　It　forms　the　genus　Lophorina　of　Viellot；　and　is　one　of　the　rarest　and　most　brilliant　of　the　whole　group；　being　only　known　front　mutilated　native　skins。　This　bird　is　a　little　larger　than　the　Magnificent。　The　ground　colour　of　the　plumage　is　intense　black；　but　with　beautiful　bronze　reflections　on　the　neck；　and　the　whole　head　scaled　with　feathers　of　brilliant　metallic　green　and　blue。　Over　its　breast　it　bears　a　shield　formed　of　narrow　and　rather　stiff　feathers；　much　elongated　towards　the　sides；　of　a　pure　bluish…green　colour；　and　with　a　satiny　gloss。　But　a　still　more　extraordinary　ornament　is　that　which　springs　from　the　back　of　the　neck；a　shield　of　a　similar　form　to　that　on　the　breast；　but　much　larger；　and　of　a　velvety　black　colour；　glossed　with　bro