Emberiza paradisea, LINNÆUS; La Veuve à collier d'or, BUFFON;
Der Paradiesammer, BECHSTEIN.
This beautiful and rare species is the size of a linnet. Reckoning from
the beak to the end of the side tail-feathers, it is five inches and a
half in length. The beak is lead-coloured; the iris chestnut; the feet
are flesh-coloured; the head, chin, front of the neck, back, wings, and
tail are black; the back of the neck pale orange; the breast, thighs,
and upper part of the belly are white, the lower part is black; the two
intermediate tail-feathers measure four inches, are very broad, and
terminate in a long filament; the two that follow, above three inches
long, are very broad in the middle, narrower and pointed at the end,
from their shaft springs also a filament more than an inch long; the
other side feathers are only two inches and a half in length; the two in
the middle amongst the longest a little diverging, and arched like a
cock's, are glossy, and more brilliant than the others.
The female is entirely brown, almost black, and does not acquire its
proper plumage until the third year; whilst young it very much resembles
the winter plumage of the male.
This bird moults twice in the year. At the first, which takes place in
November, the male loses its long tail for six months, its head is
streaked with black and white, the rest of its plumage is a mixture of
black and red; at the second, which takes place late in the spring, it
resumes its summer dress, such as it has been described above, but the
tail-feathers do not attain their full length till July and drop in
November.
OBSERVATIONS.--This beautiful species comes from Angola, and other
parts of Africa, and is particularly common in the kingdom of Whidah,
or Juida, in Guinea, and hence it takes its name. Though it was
formerly brought in great numbers into Germany, it still costs there
thirty or forty rix dollars. These birds are very lively, and
constantly in motion, always waving their long tail up and down,
often arranging their feathers and amusing themselves with bathing.
Their feeble song, though somewhat melancholy, is however very
agreeable. They may be preserved from eight to twelve years if fed on
canary seed, millet, barley meal, and the like, not forgetting to add
from time to time lettuce, endive, or other green food. They must be
given a large cage, to prevent their spoiling their fine tail.