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.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 359 of 412
Words from 96846 to 97097
of 111511
