The Malay archipelago : the land of the orang-utan ... - Wallace Online

354 THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO. [chap.I had, however, some consolation in the birds my boys broughthome daily, more especially tlie Paradiseas, which they at lengthobtained in full plumage. It was quite a relief to my mind toget these, for I could hardly have torn myself away from Aruhad I not obtained specimens. But "what I valued almost asmuch as the birds themselves, was the knowledge of their habits,which I was daily obtaining both from the accounts of myhunters, and from the conversation of the natives. Tlie birdshad now commenced what the people here call their " sacaleli,"or dancing-parties, in certain trees in the forest, which are notfruit trees as I at first imagined, but which have an immensehead of spreading branches and large but scattei'ed leaves,giving a clear space for the birds to play and exhibit theirplumes. On one of these trees a dozen or twenty full-plumagedmale birds assemble together, raise up their wings, stretch outtheir necks, and elevate their exquisite plumes, keeping them ina continual vibration. Between whiles they fly across frombranch to branch in great excitement, so that the whole tree isfilled with waving illumes in every variety of attitude andmotion. (See Illustration facing p. 339.) The bird itself is nearlyas large as a crow, and is of a ricli coffee brown colour. Thehead and neck is of a joure straw yellow above, and rich metallicgreen beneath.. The long plumy tufts of golden orange feathersspring from the sides beneath each wing, and when the bird isin repose are partly concealed by them. At tlie time of itsexcitement, however, the wings are raised vertically over theback, the head is bent down and stretched out, and the longplumes are raised ujj and expanded till they form two magnificentgolden fans striped with deej) red at the base, andfading off into the pale brown tint of the finely divided andsoftly waving points. The whole bird is then oA'ershadowed bythem, the crouching body, yellow head, and emerald greenthroat forming but the foundation and setting to the goldenglory which waves above. When seen in this attitude, the Birdof Paradise really deserves its name, and must be ranked as oneof the most beautiful and most wonderful of living things. Icontinued also to get specimens of the lovely little king-birdoccasionally, as well as numbers of brilliant pigeons, sweet littleparroquets, and many curious small birds, most nearly resemblingthose of Australia and New Guinea.Here, as among most savage peojile I have dwelt among, I wasdelighted with the beauty of the human form—a beauty ofwhicli stay-at-home civilized people can scarcely have any conception.What are the finest Grecian statues to the living,moving, breathing men I saw daily around me 1 The unrestrainedgrace of the naked savage as he goes about his dailyoccupations, or lounges at his ease, must be seen to be understood; and a youth bending his bow is the perfection of manlybeauty. The women, liowever, except in extreme youth, are by