speak, or we shall frighten them. Look at those beautiful birds; what
can they be?" She pointed to a tree a short distance off, on which were
perched a number of birds of the most magnificent plumage, with bodies
about the size of thrushes, having a mass of feathers which extended far
beyond their tails, making them look much larger than they really were.
The birds did not apparently observe the intruders on their domain, and
continued dancing about on the boughs, exhibiting their richly coloured
feathers to each other, as if proud of their beauty. Walter and Alice
had never seen any birds to be compared in beauty to them, though they
differed considerably from each other. The most beautiful had a bill,
slightly bent, of a greenish colour, around the base of which was a
fringe of velvet-like black plumes. The head and part of the neck was
of a pale golden-green, the throat being of a still richer hue, while
the remaining plumage on the body and the tail was of a deep chestnut,--
except on the breast, which was a rich purple. From each side of the
body beneath the wings sprang a mass of long floating plumes of the most
delicate texture, of a bright yellow; and beyond the tail projected a
pair of naked shafts, far longer even than the yellow plumes.
Sometimes, when the bird was at rest, it allowed these plumes to hang
down close together; then suddenly it would raise them, when they arched
over, covering the whole of the body, which shone brightly in the sun.
This was evidently a male bird; the females, though possessing much
beauty, were not nearly so richly adorned. Another bird, much smaller,
was seen among them, perched on a bough above the rest, and evidently
considering itself of no small importance. Its colour was mostly of a
beautiful red-chestnut, the base of the bill being surrounded with
velvet-like plumes, while the throat and upper part of the breast were
of a deep purple-red; a bright golden-green zone running across the
lower part, separated from the red above by a line of yellow; the lower
portion of the body being perfectly white. On each side was a bunch of
feathers, tinged with the richest golden-green; and from the middle of
the tail extended two very long, naked shafts, which terminated in a
broad golden-green web of spiral form. So delighted were the young
people with the spectacle, that they could not tear themselves from the
spot, forgetting all about the object of their excursion. They w