Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-06
Wonderful Malayan Collection at
Smithsonian Institution.
over ELEVEN HUNDRED SPECIMENS
Beautiful CoIors, Rainbow of Feath-
ers, Patchwork Of Tints.
DONATED BY DIR. W. L. ABBOTT


Malay peninsula, which is one of the most
beautiful, as well as most interesting, in
the institution.
The collection comprises about ], 100 spec
linens of the feathered tribe which inhabit
the Malayan peninsula, between two and
three hundred varieties being included.
The birds of that region are noted as
possessing more brilliant plumage than
those Of any other region in the world,
which fact is borne out by view Of the
specimens themselves. They form a kalei-
doscope of colors-a rainbow of feathers,
a patchwork of shades and tints-which
will delight the eye of impressionist ar
fist or lover of subdued and quiet tints.
Death has not in the least dimmed the
luster of the feathers, the colors all having
been preserved in a manner wonderful to
witness. Tints from many fading tropi-
cal sunset are represented there, shades
rivaling the flush of the aurora In the re-
gionS of the far north. Never was there
millinery shop where such gorgeous feath-
ers were shown, and many a woman would
give much to be able to appear in such
borrowed plumage. regardless of whether
or not fine feathers make fine birds.
In Oriental Poetry.
Many of the specimens are those of birds
mentioned in oriental poetry, and many OF
them have counterparts in the western
hemisphere. ne VI lutI nave
much about them to interest any one who
is fortunate enough to get view of the
collecto They have arrived so recently
that as yet they have not been fully clas-
sified. After awhile they will be mounted,
while some of them will be kept in the in
stitution simply for comparison.
c. w. Richmond, assistant curator of the
department of birds, showed these speci-
mems to The Star reporter, describing in
dvidudlly some popularity or character
istic. The broad bill is bird known
Only to southern Siam and southern India.
They are about large a blackbird
with bills which give them their distinct
i've name Their plumage is of changeable
tints, magnificent to behold. The buibuls
mentioned in Moore's "Lalla Rookh'' and
the time-enduring poem of Omar kha-
yam " is represented in the collection. 1t
Is on the order of a titmouse, somewhat
larger, and of a dull color. Its song is
such that it is called the hooking bird of
the east
Then there are scimeter birds, so called
on account of their peculiarly shaped bills.
Ike those of curved sword, and bush
babblers," obtaining their name from the
manner in which they hold animated con-
versations with one another in the copses.
The sfnmese jay.
The jay Of Siam is not unlike the blue jay
OF this country. except that its plumage
is glossy black, defined with white lines
1t has stiff crest and long tail. "Mino'
birds are the cage birds of the east red
and green as to plumage. They make fine
takers and can be found in many of the
Malayan households. The fiery minivt has
IN It's plumage a dash of scarlet, which
may have been caught from the sunset it.
self. Paradise fly catchers" are small
birds with long, gracefully shaped tails
the feathers being of all imagina BILE coIors
but are not to be mistaken for the Birds
OF Paradise,' which are of a different
species.
"Weader BIRDS are about the size OF
wrens. They intertwine their nests so
closely together that It is deemed surpris-
ing how they know their own. New York
tenements are not to be compared in the
matter OF close quarters where the
weader birds are concerned There are
'nuthatchers,' which are essentially
ground birds, creeping and gliding in the
thickets. Sun birds" are similar in shane.
brliiiancy OF plumage and size to the hum
ming bird of the western half of the globe.
They have long, sharp-pointed bills. and
extract the ectar from the heart of the
tropical flowers.
Scotch PIafds.
There are also ''pitta" birds, which live
mostly on the ground. Their plumage is
fantastic. and they would be in the height
OF fashion now, if there was such a thing
In birddom for their plumage resembles a
scotch plaid to a surprising degree They
are about the size of robin, and in addi-
tion TO possessing such remarkably colored
leatherS on the front of the body have a
red splotch, as Of blood, and hardly to be
mistaken for 1t, on the breast Partridyes
like the Bob Whites" of the Virginia and
Maryland stubbe fields, are in the colec-
ton. The most marked difference between
them and those of this locality is that their
pllunage is beautiful in the extreme
FAIRY blue bird" is the rather fantastic
title of specimen about the size of robin
or larger. 1t might be called black and
blue with equal propriety, for it is of
sable, except on its back, where there is
such bright spot of azure that it might
lead the beholder to believe it had flown
too high at one time, and scraped the
primary blue from the vault of heaven
itself.
The fire back pheasant" is a slim bird.
with long tail like that of fish, which
appears as If it was never quite finished
The plumage is of variegated tint, dark
In one light, green and gold and red and
blue In another. On the back, only seen in
a certain light, and invisible in others, is
what looks to be sheet of FURNISHED gold,
flashing gilt-like and sudden in Its magnifi-
cence The pheasant has a naked head,
with a tuft of hair. like the scalplock of
an Indian. Spurs adorn its legs.
The Iungles Contribute.
The original Jungle fowl" from which
all domesticated chickens have descended
and been evolved from the native wilds of
the Malay peninsula, are also in the COL
lection. The male is simply a splendid
speciment of the game cock of this coun-
try, of the same size and having the gen.
eral appearance, markings and character
istics The male is fitted with a pair of
keen, slender gaffs. which would delight a
cock fighter to look at. The hen is also a
counterpart of the game hen of America
and England.
Horn bills" queer birds, with bone-Iike
substances on their heads like shoe horns,
are remarkable birds. They are about the
size of ravens, and their plumage is of a
dark color. The "casques," as the bony
substance on the top of their heads is
called, resemble somewhat the fiat hats
which young girls wear now, with the ex-
ception that the casques are square instead
of round. The birds, 1t is evident, do not
care for the ridiculous appearance they
present, but are content to fit about the
tropical forests. feeding fruits and palm
nuts, which they crack open with their
powerful bills. The bills are frequently
broken and uneven, showing the bird has
had nuts to crack at different times in it's
career One variety has white whiskers
over the bills. The rhinoceros horn bill
comes from Borneo. 1t has black bill
and a horn above. like that of the beast
from which 1t receives its name.
Bill Over Foot Long,
An Ibis, with bill over foot long, is a