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THE RESPLENDENT EPIMACHUS (Seleucides resplendens).

We are indebted to Dr. Bennett for the following graphic account of a Bird of Paradise, which lived for nine years in the aviary of Mr. Beale of Macao:—"This elegant creature has a light, playful, and graceful manner, with an arch and impudent look; dances about when a visitor approaches the cage, and seems delighted at being made an object of admiration; its notes are very peculiar, resembling the cawing of the Raven, but its tones are by far more varied. During four months of the year, from May to August, it moults. It washes itself regularly twice daily, and after having performed its ablutions throws its delicate feathers up nearly over the head, the quills of these feathers having a peculiar structure, so as to enable the bird to effect this object. Its food is boiled rice mixed up with soft egg, together with plantains, and living insects of the grasshopper tribe; these insects, when thrown to him, the bird contrives to catch in its beak with great celerity; it will eat insects in a living state, but will not touch them when dead. I observed the bird, previously to eating a grasshopper, place the insect upon the perch, keep it firmly fixed with the claws, and divesting it of the legs, wings, &c., devour it, with the head always placed first. It rarely alights upon the ground, and so proud is the creature of its elegant dress that it never permits a soil to remain upon it, and it may frequently be seen spreading out its wings and feathers, and regarding its splendid self in every direction, to observe whether the whole plumage is in an unsullied condition. The sounds uttered by this bird are very peculiar; that which appears to be a note of congratulation resembles somewhat the cawing of a Raven, but changes to a varied scale in musical gradations—a he, hi, ho, how, repeated frequently and rapidly, as briskly and playfully he hops round and along his perch, descending to the second perch to be admired, and congratulate the stranger who has made a visit to inspect him. He frequently raises his voice, sending forth notes of such power as to be heard at a long distance, and as it would scarcely be supposed such a delicate bird could utter. These notes are whack, whack, whack, uttered in a barking tone, the last being in a low note as conclusion. A drawing of the bird of the natural size was made by a Chinese artist. This was taken one morning to the original, who paid a compliment to the artist by considering it one of his own species. The bird advanced towards the picture, uttering at the same time its cawing, congratulatory notes; it did not appear excited by rage, but pecked gently at the representation, jumping about the perch, knocking its mandibles together with a chattering noise, and cleaning them against the perch, as if welcoming the arrival of a companion. After the trial with the picture a looking-glass was brought, to see what effect it would produce upon the bird, and the result was nearly the same; he regarded the reflection of himself most steadfastly in the mirror, never quitting it during the time it remained before him. When the glass was removed to the lower from the upper perch he instantly followed, but would not descend upon the floor of the cage when it was placed so low. It seemed impatient, hopping about without withdrawing its gaze from the mirror, uttering the usual cawing notes, but with evident surprise that the reflected figure (or, as he seemed to regard it, his opponent) imitated so closely all his actions, and was as watchful as himself. There was, however, on his part no indication of combativeness by any elevation of his feathers, nor was any irritation displayed at not being able to approach nearer to the supposed new comer from his own native land. His attention was directed to the mirror during the time it remained before him, but when removed he went quietly and composed himself upon the upper perch as if nothing had excited him. One of the best opportunities of seeing this bird in all its beauty of action as well as display of plumage is early in the morning, when he makes his toilet; the beautiful sub-alar plumage is then thrown out and cleaned from any spot that may sully its purity by being gently passed through the bill; the short, chocolate-coloured wings are extended to the utmost, and he keeps them in a steady flapping motion, as if in imitation of their use in flight, at the same time raising up the delicate long feathers over the back, which are spread in a chaste and elegant manner, floating like films in the ambient air. When it has picked and thoroughly cleaned its feathers, elevating its tail and long shaft feathers, it raises the delicate plumage of a similar character to the sub-alar, forming a beautiful crest, and throwing up its feathers with much grace, appears as proud as a lady in her full ball dress. His prehensile power in the feet is very strong, and, still retaining his hold, the bird will turn himself round on his perch. He delights to be sheltered from the glare of the sun, as that luminary is a great source of annoyance to him if permitted to dart its fervid rays directly upon the cage. This bird is not at all ravenous, but eats rice leisurely, almost grain by grain."

THE KING OF THE BIRDS OF PARADISE.

The King of the Birds of Paradise (Cincinnurus regius) may be selected as representing the SPIRAL TAILS (Cincinnurus), as the various species composing the second group of this family have been called. In size it is inferior to any of its congeners as yet described; it is, moreover, distinguished from them by the delicacy of its beak and by the less remarkable development of the plumes with which its sides are adorned. The two centre tail-feathers twine like the tendrils of a vine, and are entirely without a web, except at their extremity, which is furnished with a wheel-like feathery expansion. The male of this species is of a ruby red upon the upper portions of the body; the brow and top of the head are orange, the throat yellow, and the belly greyish white; the eyes are surmounted by a small black spot, and a band of metallic green divides the dark-coloured breast from the shades upon the belly; the feathers upon the sides are grey, marked with irregular white and red lines, and terminate in a bright emerald green tip. The female is reddish brown upon the upper part of the body, and below of a reddish yellow streaked with brown; the wings are gold colour, the beak is dark brown, and the feet light blue.

This species is found over a larger extent of country than any other member of its family, occupying not only a large portion of North Guinea, but most of the surrounding islands, where it frequents the bushes growing upon the sea-coast. Its movements are extremely restless, and, like other Birds of Paradise, it seems to revel in its own beauty as it spreads its plumage and raises the golden collar round its throat, meanwhile demonstrating its satisfaction by uttering a soft noise not unlike the mewing of a kitten. Writers of former days inform us that these beautiful creatures fly about in parties under the guidance of a male bird distinguished from the rest by the superior development of the tail, and that the flock are inconsolable if they lose their leader; but more modern naturalists do not mention this supposed peculiarity, which we must therefore regard as a fable.

THE COLLARED BIRD OF PARADISE.

The Collared Bird of Paradise (Lophorina superba) is an extremely rare species, inhabiting Northern New Guinea. It is distinguished by the long feathers by which the upper part of its back and the nape of its neck are surmounted, the latter even extending over the breast, and thus forming a kind of collar; but there are no elongated feathers upon the sides, and it wants the webless stems found on the tail of some species; the plumage in general is black, the long feathers upon the breast are of a brilliant metallic green; the flowing feathers of the shoulder fall like a mantle over the body, and can be raised when the bird is desirous of appearing in all its beauty.