Identifier: landofnewguineap00rawl (find matches)
Title: The land of the New Guinea pygmies; an account of the story of a pioneer journey of exploration into the heart of New Guinea
Year: 1913 (1910s)
Authors: Rawling, Cecil Godfrey, 1870- Harrison, Herbert Spencer, b. 1872
Subjects: British ornithologists' union expedition Ethnology -- Indonesia Papua Negritos Papua (Indonesia) -- Description and travel
Publisher: London : Seeley, Service & co., limited
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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apuans salliedforth at dusk and added a repulsive-looking iguana anda dozen prawns to their unappetising meal. During our absence the other Gurkha had been outwith the small collecting gun, and had the good fortuneto see many of the glorious Greater Birds of Paradisedancing in the trees to the south of the camp. Nonewere shot, as the range was too great, but he had had thesatisfaction of watching for many hours this fascinatingdisplay of plumage. On one tree alone nine cocks weredancing and on another tree five, the hens perched onthe branches round about and egging them on by asuccession of piercing calls. These splendid birds werehere very numerous, and as they showed no fear of man,gave to the onlooker beneath the tree a most delightfulexhibition of their methods of courtship. Birds of Paradise have been known to Europeansfor many centuries, and in the olden times werebelieved, by those who visited the island, to have nolegs and to live continually in the skies. This idea was 216 u
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Greater Bird of Paradise Throat green ; crown orange-yellow ; breast, wings, and tail chestnut; and long flank feathersof the richest golden yellow. RETURN TO THE WATAIKWA impressed upon the travellers minds by the fact thatthe skins, purchased from the savages with whom theycame in touch, had already had the legs removed, butfor what reason no one knows ; perhaps it was becausethe large and rather ungainly feet detract from theperfect beauty of the bird/ Hundreds of these skins are exported annually fromNew Guinea and the Aru Islands, althougli in the latterplace so indiscriminate has been the slaughter that thetrade had diminished by 90 per cent. When it is remem-bered that the female lays only one egg during thenesting season, and that the males do not come to fullplumage until three years of age, it will be seen thatunless the sale is entirely prohibited in the future, theextinction of this exquisite bird is merely a matter oftime. No more beautiful sight can be witnessed thanthat

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