The Bird Of Paradise

A crealure oí most gorgeous beauty s the bird of paradise. As an ornament of beauty and grace, the bird of ie sun- or bird of God, as it is some;imes ealled by the people of Ternate- tands unrivaled, and no bird has given Ise to more romantic and fabulous ales; such, for instance, as the ridiculus assertion that the bird of paradise ïves all its life long on the wing and n the air, and Is born without legs. 'he aatives of Gilolo and New Guinea lave a curious custom of cutting off he iegs of all dead birds of paradise ffered for sale or barter, and this may have given rise to the legend as to the bird being without legs. The true reason, however, for this peculiar op#ration is that the birds are supposed to be much better preserved, and the natives are also enabled to more easily wear them as ornamets to their helmets in mock battles.