"The little Emerald Paradise-Bird feeds, without doubt, on many substances, In a state of liberty. I can affirm that it lives on the seeds of the teak-tree, and on a fruit called Amihou, of a rosy white,. insipid and mucilaginous, of the size of a small European fig, and which belongs to a tree of the genus Picas." 31. Lesson then goes on to state that he saw two Birds of Paradise which had been kept in a cage for more than six months by the prin cipal Chinese merchant at Amboyna. They were always in motion, and were fed with boiled rice, hut they had a special fondness for Cockroaches (Blattce).
Bennett, in his 'Wanderings,' gives the following account of a Bird of Paradise (Paradisea apoda) which he found in Mr. Beale's aviary at Macao, where it had been confined nine years, exhibiting no appearance of age r" This elegant creature has a light, playful, and graceful manner, with an arch and impudent look dances about when a visitor apprAches the cage, and seems delighted at being made an object of admiration ; its are very peculiar, rescmhling'the cawing Of alio ' raven, but its tones are by far More varied. During four Months of the year,"from May'to August, it inbtdts. It washes itself regularly' twice daily, and after having perforrried its ablutions throws its delicate feathers up nearly over the head, the quills of which feathers have a peculiar structure, so as to enable the bird to effect this object. Its food during confinement 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 cat Insects in a living state, but will not touch them when dead.
"I observed the bird previous to eating a grasshopper, given him in an entire or mutilated state, place the insect upon the perch, keep it firmly fixed with the clews, and divesting it of the legs, wings, &c., devour it, with the head always placed first. The servant who attends upon him to clean the cage, give him food, &c., strips off the legs, wings, &c. of the insects when alive, giving them to the bird as fast as he can devour them. 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 tho whole of its plumage is in an unsullied condition. It does not suffer from the cold weather during the winter season at Macao, though exposing the elegant bird to the bleak northerly wind is always very particularly avoided. Mr. Beale. is very desirous of procuring a living female, to endeavour if poesible to breed them in his aviary.
"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 of musical gradations, as 'he, id, ho, haw,' repeated rapidly and frequently, as lively and playfully he hops round and along his perch, descending to the second perch to be admired, and to 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 could scarcely be supposed so delicate a bird could utter; these notes are 'whock, whock, whock, whock,' uttered in a barking tone, the last being given in a low tone as n conclusion.
"A drawing of the bird of the natural size was made by a Chinese artist The bird advanced steadfastly 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 clattering noise, and cleaning them against the perch, as if welcoming the arrival of a companion. After the trial of the picture a looking-glees
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. . . . . .
"One of the best opportunities of seeing this splendid 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 passed gently 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 " I never yet beheld a soil on its feathers. After expanding the wings it would bring them together so as to conceal the head, then bending it gracefully it would inspect the state of its plumage under neath. This action it repeats in quick succession, uttering at the time its croaking notes; it then peeks and cleans its plumage in every part within reach, and throwing out the elegant and delicate tuft of feathers underneath the wings, seemingly with much care, and with not a little pride, they are cleaned in succession, if required, by throwing them abroad, elevating them, and passing them In succession through the bill Then turning its back to the spectator, tho actions above men tioned are repeated, but not in so careful a manner ; elevating its tail and long shaft-feathers, it raises the delicate plumage of a similar character to the sub-alar, forming a beautiful dorsal crest, and, throwing its feathers up with much grace, appears as proud as a lady dressed in her full ball-dress. Having completed the toilet, he utters the usual cawing notes, at the same time looking archly at the spectators, as if ready to receive all the admiration that it considers its elegant form and display of plumage demands; it then takes exercise by hopping, in a rapid but graceful manner, from one end of tho upper perch to the other, and descends suddenly upon the second perch, close to the bars of the cage, looking out for the grasshoppers which it is accus tomed to receive at this time.
" His prehensile power in the feet is very strong, and, still retaining his hold, tho bird will turn hironelf round upon the 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 fervent rays directly upon the cage. The iris frequently expanding and contract ing adds to the arch look of this animated bird, as ho throws the head on one side to glance at visitors, uttering the cawing notes or barking aloud. . . . Having concluded, he jumps down to the lower perch In search of donations of living grasshoppers.
" The bird is not at all ravenous in its habits of feeding, but it eats rice leisurely, almost grain by grain. Should any of the hooch; thrown into his cage fall upon the floor, he will not descend to them, appearing to be fearful that in so doing lie should soil his delicate plumage; lie therefore seldom or ever descends, except to perform his ablutions in the pan of water placed at the bottom of the cage expressly for his use.'