, 1890-03-22
VENOM IN ITS BILL.
Death Follows the Bite of a Strange bird
Found In New Guinea.

Death Follows tho Bite of a Strange Bird
Found In New Guinea.
Rev. R NJ. Masterson, who has just ~
turned from New Guinea, where he has been
for the last seven years as missionary from
this city, in a recent conversation with The
Times correspondent told Of a most remark
able bird he had seen in that country. The
bird, which is called by the natives the RpiT
NrDoob, meaning the bird Of death, produces
by its bite a madness ending in death. They
ire very rare, and are fast disappearing a
the country becomes more civilized.
Mr.. MRsterson had no opportunity Of per-
sonally observing the effects OF its bite, but
was credibly informed that the victim is al
most instantly seized with violent pains in
the member bitten, which pains soon spread
over the zntire body, but are especially ex-
cruciating in the bowels. Los OF sight fol-
lows and rush OF blood TO the head. The limbs
CULVER convulsively and a white, offensive
froth breaks out of the mouth. A sort Of
frenzy takes possession Of the sufferer, in
which he shrieks and howls, occasionally
laughing uproariously, and capering to his
own chanting or singing, until, his strength
exhausted, he sinks to the ground, when he
becomes unconscious and rigid in every
limb, with his teeth firmly locked as in te-
tanus.
Mr.. Masterson describes the rpir as small
and about the size of the common pigeon, but
of a slenderer, longer build, and Of a peculiar
gray plumage, lacking entirely the glossy APP
pearance of feathers. Its tail is eItraordi-
narily long and runs to a sharp point, ending
in a blood red tip. No other color is TO be
seen when It is not in flight, but the extended
wings show bright yellow beneath, sometimes
varied with an Intense lusterless black. Its
bill is very powerful, though thin and long,
and Is perfectly straight. except at the end,
where it curves sharply with an abrupt dip.
The feet are coal black and resemble some
what those OF the African parrot, but have
very sharp nails curving almost into fish
hooks.
This singular bird is to be found only on
the reedy shores OF the low lying lakes OF
New Guinea, which are often only immense
stagnant ponds or marshes. The eggs are
laid in the Shiny, moist earth close TO the
waters edge, and are most beautifully varie-
GATED, being of a rich crimson, dappled with
blue, gold and white, but are very small and
perfectly round. The male of the rpir n'doot
has no note, but the hen, which is consider
ably the larger Of tho two, gives n peculiar,
long drawn cry, which has n piercing, melan-
choly sound, but which is repeated at short
intervals, but continuously.
The rpir being very awkward and capable
OF only short flights Of two or three yards,
can be caught without difficulty, but Is let
severely alone by the Papuans, who say that
no one has ever survived It's bite, there being
nj antidote, and death always ensuing within
an hour or two, when the body shortly turns
purple and becomes much swollen, decompo-
sition speedily setting in.
Mr.. Masterson succeeded In snaring one OF
the birds and confined 1t in n cage, intending
to bring it home as n curiosity, but it pinned
away in captivity, literally starving itself to
death, as it refused to partake of any food
whatever. Unacquainted himself with the art
Of taxidermy, the missionary found no one in
that country capable OF preserving 1t for
him, so was forced TO throw away the speci-
men.
Mr.. Masterson regrets that his knowledge
of natural history was so slight us to forbid
of his learning in what the birds venom lies,
but gives us his opinion that its bill is hollow
and charged with the deadly poison. This
poison seems given merely rs a means of dc
Tense, for, as nearly us the gentleman could
tell from his limited opportunities Of observ'
ing it, the bird is herbivprous, feeding on the
tender young shoots of the reeds and water
aags.-Mobile Cor. Philadelphia Times.