[The Malay Archipelago by Alfred Russell Wallace]@TWC D-Link bookThe Malay Archipelago CHAPTER XXXVIII 18/47
The rest of the bath is orange-brown, the tail-coverts and tail dark bronzy, the wings light orange-buff: The whole under surface is covered with an abundance of plumage springing from the margins of the breast, and of a rich deep green colour, with changeable hues of purple.
Down the middle of the breast is a broad band of scaly plumes of the same colour, while the chin and throat are of a rich metallic bronze.
From the middle of the tail spring two narrow feathers of a rich steel blue, and about ten inches long.
These are webbed on the inner side only, and curve outward, so as to form a double circle. From what we know of the habits of allied species, we may be sure that the greatly developed plumage of this bird is erected and displayed in some remarkable manner.
The mass of feathers on the under surface are probably expanded into a hemisphere, while the beautiful yellow mantle is no doubt elevated so as to give the bird a very different appearance from that which it presents in the dried and flattened skins of the natives, through which alone it is at present known.
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