The Descent of Man

hers. Now spreading its wings, throwing up its
head, or opening its tail like a fan; now strutting
about with a hopping gait until tired, when
it gabbled some kind of note, and was relieved
by another. Thus three of them successively
took the field, and then, with self-approbation,
withdrew to rest." The Indians, in order to obtain
their skins, wait at one of the meetingplaces
till the birds are eagerly engaged in dancing,
and then are able to kill with their poisoned
arrows four or five males, one after the
other. (87. 'Journal of R. Geograph. Soc.' vol. x.
1840, p. 236.) With birds of paradise a dozen or
more full-plumaged males congregate in a tree
to hold a dancing-party, as it is called by the
natives: and here they fly about, raise their
wings, elevate their exquisite plumes, and make
them vibrate, and the whole tree seems, as
Mr. Wallace remarks, to be filled with waving
plumes. When thus engaged, they become so
absorbed that a skilful archer may shoot nearly
the whole party. These birds, when kept in con-