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Webster 1913 Edition


Bird of paradise

Bird′ of par′a-dise

.
(Zool.)
The name of several very beautiful birds of the genus
Paradisea
and allied genera, inhabiting New Guinea and the adjacent islands. The males have brilliant colors, elegant plumes, and often remarkable tail feathers.
The name is also applied to the longer-billed birds of another related group (
Epimachinæ
) from the same region. The
Twelve-wired bird of paradise
(
Seleucides alba
) is one of these. See
Paradise bird
, and Note under
Apod
.