THE YOUTH’S CABINET. 207

 

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- Zoe , ESR
Ga :
AON AUN
BN

The Bird of Paradise.

HERE are few birds that have more
deceived and puzzled the learned
than this, Some have described
it as an inhabitant of the air, liv-

ing only upon the dew of heaven, and
never coming down to earth. Others
have acquiesced in the latter part of its
history, but have represented it as feed-
ing-on flying insects. Some have asserted
that it was without feet, and others have
ranked it among the birds of prey.

The great beauty of this bird’s plu- ,

mage, and the deformity of its legs, seem
to have given rise to most of these erro-
neous reports. The savages of the Mo-
lucca Islands, of which it is an inhabi-
tant, perceiving the inclination the Eu-
ropeans had for this beautiful bird,
carefully cut off its legs before they
brought it to market. Thus concealing
its greatest deformity, they considered
themselves entitled to rise in their de-
mands, when they offered it for sale.
One deceit led to another.- The buyer,