The Book of Nature, Vol. 1: Embracing a Condensed Survey of the Animal Kingdom as Well as Sketches of Vegetable Anatomy, Geology, Botany, Mineralogy, &C., &C (Classic Reprint) - Softcover

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Excerpt from The Book of Nature, Vol. 1: Embracing a Condensed Survey of the Animal Kingdom as Well as Sketches of Vegetable Anatomy, Geology, Botany, Mineralogy, &C., &C

The Greater Bird of Paradise is a native of India and the Philippine Islands, and is said to be very voracious, feedin both on animal and vegetable food, and is particularly fond o locusts and grasshoppers; to eradicate the former, they were introduced into the island of Bourbon, where they proved very serviceable. This bird, according to Men, is of the same lively and imitative disposition with the Indian Grakle; and when young, is easily taught to' speak. If kept in the poultry yard, it spontaneously mimics the-cries of all the domestic ani mals - hens, cocks, geese, dogs, sheep, &c.; and this chattering is accompanied by many singular gesticulations.

It is said of the Great Paradise Bird, that in their native state they fly in flocks of about thirty or forty, led by a single bird which the natives call their king, but which is said to be of a distinct species, of a black colour with red spots. It is pretended that when this bird settles, the whole flock settle also, in consequence of which they sometimes perish; since, if their leader happens to settle on the ground, they are not able to rise on account of the peculiar structure of their feathers; nor can they fly in the wind, which would totally disorder their long flowing plumes; they are therefore observed always to fly against the wind, and to abstain altogether from flight during a storm, which would infallibly throw them on the ground. One instance has occurred of this elegant bird having been brought in a living' state into England; it had, however, entirely lost the beautiful floating side-feathers,.and did not long survive its arrival. We are not aware that a [wing specimen ever reached our shores.

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