112 SEXUAL SELECTION: BIEDS. Part IL 



" shots." The common lark is drawn down from the 

 slvv, and is caught in large numbers, by a small mirror 

 made to move and glitter in the sun. Is it admiration 

 or curiosity which leads the magpie, raven,, and some 

 other birds to steal and secrete bright objects, such as 

 silver articles or jewels ? 



Mr. Gould states that certain humming-birds deco- 

 rate the outside of their nests, " with the utmost taste ; 

 " they instinctively fasten thereon beautiful pieces of 

 " flat lichen, the larger pieces in the middle, and the 

 " smaller on the part attached to the branch. Now^ 

 " and then a pretty feather is intert\vined or fastened 

 " to the outer sides, the stem being always so placed, 

 " that the feather stands out beyond the surface." The 

 best evidence, however, of a taste for the beautiful is 

 afforded by the three genera of Australian bower-birds 

 already mentioned. Their bowers (see fig. 46, p. 70), 

 where the sexes congregate and play strange antics, are 

 differently constructed, but what most concerns us is, that 

 they are decorated in a different manner by the several 

 species. The Satin bower-bird collects gaily-coloured 

 articles, such as the blue tail-feathers of parrakeets, 

 bleached bones and shells, which it sticks between the 

 twngs, or arranges at the entrance. Mr. Gould found 

 in one bower a neatly-worked stone tomahaw^k and a 

 slip of blue cotton, evidently procured from a native 

 encampment. These objects are continually rearranged, 

 and carried about by the birds whilst at play. The 

 bowTr of the Spotted bower-bird " is beautifully lined 

 " with tall grasses, so disposed that the heads nearly 

 " meet, and the decorations are very profuse." Round 

 stones are used to keep the grass-stems in their proper 

 places, and to make divergent paths leading to the 

 bower. The stones and shells are olten brought from 

 a great distance. The Eegent bird, as described by 



