The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-06-27
THE BIRD OF DEATH.
A Curious Specimen Of Natural History
Found In New Guinea.

Rev. r. NJ. Masterson, who has just
returned from New Guinea, whore he
has been for the last seven years as mis-
sionary from that city, in recent con-
vcrsation with Philadelphia Times
correspondent, told Of amostremarkable
bird he had seen in that country. The
bird, which is called by tho natives the
rpir n'doob, meaning the bird Of death,
produces by its bito madness ending in
death. They aro very rare, and arc fast
disappearing Us the country becomes
moro civilized.
Mr.. Masterson had no opportunity Of
personally Observing the effects Of its
bite, but was crcdibly informed that tho
victim is almost instantly seized with
violent pains in tho member bitten,
which pains soon spread over the entire
body, but arc especially cxcruciating in
the bowels. Loss OF sight follows and
rush of blood to tho head. The limbs
quivor ccnvu.sivcly, and a white. offcn-
sivc froth breaks out of the mouth. A
sufferer, in which he shriclls and howls,
occasionally laughing uproarious!y, and
capcrins to his own chanting or singing,
until his strength is exhausted and no
sinks to the ground, when ho becomes
unconscious and rigid in every limb,
with his teeth firmly locked as in to-
tanus.
Mr.. Masterson describes tho rpir as
small and about the size Of tho common
pigeon, but OF a slcnderer, longer build,
and of a peculiar gray plumage lacking
entirely the glossy appearance OF fcath-
crs. Its tail is extraordinarily long and
runs to sharp point, ending in q blood
rcd tip. No other color lis TO be seen
when it is not in fight, but tho extend
cd wings show bright yellow beneath,
sometimes varied with an intense luster-
less black. Its bill is very powerful,
though thin and long, anil is perfectly
straight, except st the cnl, where it
curves sharply with an abrupt dip. The
feet arc coal black and resemble some
what those Of tho African parrot, but
have very sharp nails curviny almost
into iish-hoolss.
This singular bird is to be found only
on the recdy shores of tho low-lyine
lakes of New Guinea, which arc often
only immense stagnant ponds ol
marshes. The eggs arc laid III the slitny
moist earth close to tho waters edge
and arc most beautifully variegatcd, be
ing OF rich crimson, dappled with blue
gold and white, but arc very small ane
perfectly round. The male of the rpi
n'doob has no note, but tho hen, whicl
is considerably tho larger Of the two
gives peculiar, long-drawn cry, which
has u piercing, melancholy sound, an,
which is repeated at short intervals.
Tho rpir being very awkward an,
capable of only short flights Of tw'
or three yards, can be caught withou
difficulty, but is let severely alono b,
tho Papunns. who say that no ono ha
ever survived it's b,tc., there being ~
antidotc. and death always cnsuir.
within an hour or two, when the bod
shortly turns purple and becomes mucl
swollen, decomposition spceaily sci
ting in.
Mr. Masterson succeeded in snarin
one OF the birds ana confined it IN
cage, intending to bring it homo as
curiosity, but it pincd away in captivity
literally starving itself to death, as
refused to partale Of any food whatst
ever. Unacquainted himsolf with th
art of taxidermy, the missionary foun
no one in that country capable of prs
serving it for him, SO he was forced
throw away the specimen.
Mr.. Mastcrson regrets that his know
edge of natural history was SO slight ;
to forbid of his learning in what tt
birds venom lies, but gives as h
opinion that its bill is hollow ar
charged with tho deadly poison. Th
> poison seems given merely as a meai
,, of defense, for as nearly as the gentl
! man could tell from his limited oppo
tunities of observing it the bird
hcrbivorous, feeding on tho tend
. young shoots of the reeds and flags.