“The King-bird has another form of display which he very rarely exhibits, and only on three or four occasions have I seen him go through this performance. Dropping under the perch, the bird walks backwards and forwards in an inverted position with his wings expanded. Suddenly he closes his wings and lets his body fall straight downwards, looking exactly like a crimson pear, his blue legs being stretched out to the full length and his feet clinging to the perch. The effect is very curious and weird, and the performance is so like that of an acrobat suddenly dropping on to his toes on the cross-bar of a trapeze that I have named this the ‘Acrobatic’ display. It has been witnessed on different days to his ‘Juggling’ display. While giving his ‘Acrobatic’ performance he sings the whole time, but never shows his side-plumes, and when he is in the pendulous position his body sways gently as if it were influenced by a fitful breeze. The whole of this performance takes but a very few seconds.” [Illustration: Plate 19. _From a Drawing by Roland Green, Jun., adapted from G. E. Lodge and others._ SOME OF FORTUNE’S FAVOURITES. The Birds-of-Paradise have few rivals in the matter of ornament. In the centre of this plate are seen the Lesser and the King Bird-of-Paradise displaying (after G. E. Lodge). The first-named is distinguished by the enormous development of the side plumes, which can be raised high above the back. In the second, the ornaments take the form of erectile frills on each side of the breast, and strangely modified tail-feathers which end in curious discs. At the top left-hand corner is the King of Saxony’s Bird-of-Paradise; on the right is the Long-tailed Bird-of-Paradise; at the bottom of the page, from left to right, are Hunstein’s, the Six-wired, and Superb Bird-of-Paradise. Face page 104.] Naturally one needs to witness such a display to appreciate its beauty and its weirdness; but the wonderful sketches which my friend, Mr. G. E. Lodge, made during one of these performances, should go far towards helping the reader to visualize what really takes place.