NOTES ON THE BOWER-BIRDS (FAM. SCENOPIDjE) 



OF AUSTRALIA. 



By A. J. North. 



This beautiful and interesting section of the Paradiseidce 

 claims special attention at the hands of Australian Naturalists. 

 The nidification and eggs of five species are now known, but 

 these descriptions being distributed over various publications, 

 I thought perhaps a few notes I have put together on the 

 subject, would be of interest to some of my fellow-workers in 

 Australian Oology. Having had access to the Dobroyde and other 

 collections, I am enabled to give descriptions of thoroughly 

 authentic specimens. 



Ptilonorhynchus violaceus, Vieill. 



The range of this species extends over the whole of the east 

 and south coasts of Australia, from Rockingham Bay in the north 

 to the Port Phillip and Otway districts in the south. The 

 favourite localities or parts where this species is most plentiful, 

 are the scrubs or thickets of the mountain ranges, where wild 

 fruits abound; but it also visits the gardens of the settlers 

 and feeds on almost any kind of fruit. 



In 1878 I first met with them breeding in the ranges of South 

 Gippsland, particularly on the Strzelecki, and in the neighbour- 

 hood of the Tarwin River, where I obtained both nests and 

 bowers. The first nest I found was built in a musk tree (Olearia 

 argophylla) about six feet from the ground, and resembled 

 that of Cracticus destructor. The eggs are usually two in number 

 for a sitting. 



