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

424 THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO. [chap.creatures—scarcely enough for a single meal. At Malta, whereI stayed a fortnight, I got plenty of cockroaches from a bakehouse,and "when I left, took with me several biscuit-tins' full,as provision for the voyage home. We came through theMediterranean in March, witli a very cold wind ; and the onlyplace on board the mail-steamer where their large cage could beaccommodated was exposed to a strong current of air down ahatchway which stood open day and night, yet the birds neverseemed to feel the cold. During the night joui-ney from Marseillesto Paris it was a sharp frost ;yet they arrived in Londonin perfect health, and lived in the Zoological Gardens for oneand two years respectively, often displaying their beautifulplumes to the admii'ation of the spectators. It is evident,therefore, that the Paradise Birds are very hardy, and requireair and exercise rather than heat ; and I feel sure that if a goodsizedconservatoi'y could be devoted to them, or if they couldbe turned loose in the tropical department of the CrystalPalace or the Great Palm House at Kew, they would live in thiscountry for many years.The Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisea rubra of Viellot), thoughallied to the two birds already described, is much more distinctfi'om them than they are from each other. It is about the samesize as Paradisea papuana (13 to 14 inches long), but diifersfrom it in many particulars. The side plumes, instead of beingyellow, are rich crimson, and only extend about three or fourinches beyond the end of the tail ; they are somewhat rigid,and the ends are curved downwards and inwards, and are tippedwith white. The two middle tail feathers, instead of beingsimply elongated and deprived of their webs, are transformedinto stiff black ribands, a quarter of an inch wide, but curvedlike a split quill, and i^esembling thin half cylinders of horn orwhalebone. AVhen a dead bird is laid on its back, it is seenthat these ribands take a curve or set, which bi'ings them roundso as to meet in a double circle on the neck of the bird ; butwhen they hang downwards during life they assume a spiraltwist, and foi'm an exceedingly graceful double curve. Theyare about twenty-two inches long, and always attract attentionas the most conspicuous and extraordinary feature of thespecies. The rich metallic green colour of the throat extendsover the front half of the head to behind the eyes, and on theforehead forms a little double crest of scaly feathers, whicli addsmuch to the vivacity of the bird's aspect. The bill is gambogeyellow, and the iris blackish olive. (Figure at p. 40.3.)The female of this species is of a tolerably uniform coffeebrowncolour, but has a blackish head, and the nape, neck, andshoulders yellow, indicating the position of the brighter coloursof the male. The changes of plumage follow the same order ofsuccession as in the other species, the bright colours of the headand neck being first developed, then the lengthened filaments