ever, some consolation in the birds my boys brought home
daily, more especially the Paradiseas, which they at length obtained in
full plumage. It was quite a relief to my mind to get these, for I could
hardly have torn myself away from Aru had I not obtained specimens.

But what I valued almost as much as the birds themselves was the
knowledge of their habits, which I was daily obtaining both from the
accounts of my hunters, and from the conversation of the natives. The
birds had now commenced what the people here call their "sacaleli," or
dancing-parties, in certain trees in the forest, which are not fruit
trees as I at first imagined, but which have an immense tread of
spreading branches and large but scattered leaves, giving a clear space
for the birds to play and exhibit their plumes. On one of these trees
a dozen or twenty full-plumaged male birds assemble together, raise
up their wings, stretch out their necks, and elevate their exquisite
plumes, keeping them in a continual vibration. Between whiles they fly
across from branch to branch in great excitement, so that the whole tree
is filled with waving plumes in every variety of attitude and motion.
(See Frontispiece.) The bird itself is nearly as large as a crow, and
is of a rich coffee brown colour. The head and neck is of a pure straw
yellow above and rich metallic green beneath. The long plumy tufts of
golden orange feathers spring from the sides beneath each wing, and when
the bird is in repose are partly concealed by them. At the time of its
excitement, however, the wings are raised vertically over the back, the
head is bent down and stretched out, and the long plumes are raised up
and expanded till they form two magnificent golden fans, striped with
deep red at the base, and fading off into the pale brown tint of
the finely divided and softly waving points. The whole bird is then
overshadowed by them, the crouching body, yellow head, and emerald green
throat forming but the foundation and setting to the golden glory which
waves above. When seen in this attitude, the Bird of Paradise really
deserves its name, and must be ranked as one of the most beautiful and
most wonderful of living things. I continued also to get specimens
of the lovely little king-bird occasionally, as well as numbers of
brilliant pigeons, sweet little parroquets, and many curious small
birds, most nearly resembling those of Australia and New Guinea.

Here, as among most savage people I h