24 PARADISEID*. 



from as far south in New South Wales as Dungog, on the WilHanis River, an affluent of the 

 Hunter Ri\er. About the scrubs at the head of the Orara, Maclfeay, and Bellinger rivers, it is 

 freely distributed, and Mr. B. Lucas informs me that he has sometimes seen it associated with 

 flocks of the Regent Bower-bird, the Satin Bower-bird, and the Cat-bird. Writing on the 

 birds of Queensland, Dr. Ramsay makes the following remarks": — "The most northerly point 

 that I met with Ptilorhis puradisea, was at Port Mackay, on the Pioneer River; it was there 

 considered a very rare bird. I have heard of its being occasionally met with in the ranges 

 near Gympie. This bird is \ery similar to Climacteris in its actions. While encamped for some 

 three or four months in the ranges of the North Richmond x'w&x. New South Wales, the great 

 stronghold of this species, I had abundant opportunities of studying its habits, and was struck 

 with the similarity of its actions to our Tree-creepers. The young males and females, seldom 

 accompanied by more than one adult male in livery, are frequently met witli together, traversing 

 the stems and thick branches of the trees, especially those showing signs or in a state 

 of decay. 



"The call-note of the adult male is a shrill scream, easily imitated sufliriently to attract its 

 attention, and cause it to remain until one approaches. By this means I ha\e frequently 

 watched it closely as it hopped round the bole of some decaying tree, or tore ofl the loose bark 

 in search of insects. 



" Seldom more than one adult male is found to e\ery quarter of a S(]uare mile of scrub, 

 and so little do they wander about that it was customary for me to return to the same locality 

 until I had shot the bird, being (juite sure of hearing him calling if he had not been destroyed 

 in the meantime. These old males are usually solitary, but two or more occasionally meet in 

 a favourite feeding-tree, when a fight is sure to ensue. Although closely resembling the 

 Climacteris in their actions, they differ in this respect, tliat they may be found feeding on the 

 fruit of the native Tamarind." 



Mr. li. Grant, who was collecting in 1892, at Glennifer, on the North Arm, Bellinger ri\er, 

 informs me that the male flies from limb to limb until it reaches the top of a tree, in a similar 

 manner to the Lyre-bird, and then rapidly flies down in a slanting direction, accompanied by 

 that peculiar rustling noise made during flight by the wings of the males of this genus. He 

 did not hear the male commence to call until .\ugust, and those he obtained prior to that month 

 were observed by hearing pieces of bark and debris falling from the trees, while they were engaged 

 in their search for insects lurking underneath the bark or among the Bird-nest or Stag-horn Ferns. 

 The birds remained very (juiet when discovered, and only ventured to peer around the bole of 

 the tree when he scraped his feet on the ground, their curiosity being 'aroused by this action 

 enabling him to get a shot and secure them. One female he shot while feeding on the ground, 

 the only time he has observed either species of this genus so engaged. This specimen has an 

 unusually long bill, measuring 2-3 inches. The stomachs of all the birds he e.xamined contained 

 insects, procured chiefly underneath the bark of trees or among Bird-nest or Stag-horn Ferns, 

 also a few small round seeds of a berry. 



Mr. C. C. L. Talbot informs me that at West Moreton, in Queensland, he fired at a male 

 Ptilorhis paradisea, and broke its wing. He kept it in confinement, feeding it chiefly on 

 centipedes, which it preferred, also insects of various kinds. It was very lively, and quite 

 reconciled to a cage. Neglect to supply the bird with its natural food, during his absence, was 

 the ultimate cause of its death, after living in confinement for three months. In the same 

 locality Mr. Talbot found a young one just fledged, at the base of a large tree, but although he 

 carefully searched all around, he could not discover the nest. The young bird only lived 

 three days. 



• Proc Zool. Soc, 1875, p. 598. 



