BEAUTIFUL BIRDS [Illustration: LYRE-BIRD] BEAUTIFUL BIRDS BY EDMUND SELOUS AUTHOR OF "TOMMY SMITH'S ANIMALS" WITH MANY ILLUSTRATIONS BY HUBERT D. ASTLEY 1901 LONDON: J. M. DENT & CO. 29 & 30 BEDFORD STREET, W.C. Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO. At the Ballantyne Press CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. WHY BEAUTIFUL BIRDS ARE KILLED 1 II. BIRDS OF PARADISE 20 III. THE GREAT BIRD OF PARADISE 35 IV. THE RED BIRD OF PARADISE 56 V. THE LESSER, BLACK, BLUE, AND GOLDEN BIRDS OF PARADISE 67 VI. ABOUT ALL BIRDS OF PARADISE, AND SOME EXPLANATIONS 93 VII. ABOUT HUMMING-BIRDS, AND SOME MORE EXPLANATIONS 108 VIII. SOME VERY BRIGHT HUMMING-BIRDS 129 IX. HERMIT HUMMING-BIRDS AND TWO OTHER ONES 151 X. THE COCK-OF-THE-ROCK AND THE LYRE-BIRD 164 XI. THE RESPLENDENT TROGON AND THE ARGUS PHEASANT 179 XII. WHITE EGRETS, "OSPREYS," AND OSTRICH-FEATHERS 203 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _Lyre-Bird_ _Frontispiece_ _Page_ _Papuan shooting Birds of Paradise_ 49 _Lesser Bird of Paradise_ 69 _King Bird of Paradise_ 77 _Golden-winged Bird of Paradise_ 89 _Racquet-tailed Humming-Bird_ 113 _Plover-crest Humming-Bird_ 125 _Train-bearer Humming-Bird_ 131 _Cock-of-the-Rock_ 168 _Resplendent Trogon_ 187 _Argus Pheasant_ 195 _White Egret_ 205 _End Piece_ 225 [Illustration] BEAUTIFUL BIRDS. CHAPTER I Why Beautiful Birds are Killed