Knowledge of natural history, revfrom Reason why: natural history, giving reasons for hundreds of interesting facts in connection with zoology; and throwing light upon the peculiar habits and instincts of the various orders of the animal kingdom . hout the usual attributes of wingsor feet; and were also believed to dwell in the air, andlive upon the nectar of those flowers which, in the climateswhere the birds are native, twine in garlands and festoonsat the topmost branches of the trees. 766. Why were the birds of Paradise said by the oldernaturalists to be without legs, and to remain always
Knowledge of natural history, revfrom Reason why: natural history, giving reasons for hundreds of interesting facts in connection with zoology; and throwing light upon the peculiar habits and instincts of the various orders of the animal kingdom . hout the usual attributes of wingsor feet; and were also believed to dwell in the air, andlive upon the nectar of those flowers which, in the climateswhere the birds are native, twine in garlands and festoonsat the topmost branches of the trees. 766. Why were the birds of Paradise said by the oldernaturalists to be without legs, and to remain always sus-pended in the air? These beautiful crea-tures frequenting only theneighborhood of the trop-ics, had, until a compara-tively recent date, neverbeen caught and exam-ined. The accounts ofthem, therefore, were likemany travelers tales,much exaggerated. Thisis partly excused and ac-counted for by the ex-treme beauty of theirplumage and motions. It is certain that the birds of Paradise have legs, andthese both large and strong; but their flight is rapid andcontinuous; they are the swallows of the tropics; are sel-dom seen to alight; and, while pursuing the insects uponwhich they feed, go through a vast number of the mostbeautiful 767. These birds do not bear much resemblance to an ordinary bird,at least in any part except the bill, head, neck, and shoulders, for therest of the body is hidden by supplemental feathers issuing from theflanks, the shoulders, or both, which feathers are so loose, light, and
Size: 1578px × 1583px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1916
