108 SEXUAL SELECTION: BIRDS. [Part a 



46, p. 67), 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 gayly-col- 

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

 bleached bones and shells, which it sticks between the 

 twigs, or arranges at the entrance. Mr. Gould found in 

 one bower a neatly-worked stone tomahawk and a slip of 

 blue cotton, evidently procured from a native encampment. 

 These objects are continually rearranged, and carried about 

 by the birds while at play. The bower of the Spotted 

 bower-bird " is beautifully lined with tall grasses, so dis- 

 posed 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 often 

 brought from a great distance. The Regent-bird, as de- 

 scribed by Mr. Ramsay, ornaments its short bower with 

 bleached land-shells belonging to five or six species, and 

 with " berries of various colors, blue, red, and black, which 

 give it when fresh a very pretty appearance. Besides 

 these there were several newly-picked leaves and young 

 shoots of a pinkish color, the whole showing a decided 

 taste for the beautiful." Well may Mr. Gould say " these 

 highly-decorated halls of assembly must be regarded as 

 the most wonderful instances of bird-architecture yet dis- 

 covered ; " and the taste, as we see, of the several species 

 certainly differs. 15 



Preference for Particular Males by the Females. — 

 Having made these preliminary remarks on the discrimi- 



15 On the ornamented nests of humming-birds. Gould, ' Introduction 

 to the Trochilidoe, 1861, p. 19. On the bower-birds, Gould, 'Hand-book 

 to the Birds of Australia,' 1865, vol. i. pp. 444-461. Mr. Ramsay in the 

 'Ibis,' 186V, p. 456. 



