70 PTILOSORHYNCHID.E. 



The late Mr. W. S. Day, of Kuranda, near Cairns, Queensland, kindly supplied me with the 

 following notes: — "Relative to this species, the Tooth-billed Bower-birds are very common in 

 the thick scrub lands about the Russell, Mulgrave, and Johnstone Rivers, in North-eastern 

 Queensland, and are far more frequently met with in the ranges than the low-lands. 

 They are usually associated in small flocks, and may be often seen in company with the 

 Spotted Cat-bird (AHurcedns maculosus) feeding on the different fruits and berries which con- 

 stitute their food. At the end of June they begin to mate, and go about in pairs only. The 

 play -ground of this species is a very simple one. Clearing a space about three feet in diameter 

 of all sticks and leaves, and usually between two small trees, they place fresh green leaves flat 

 on the ground in the centre of the circle. This is resorted to by from two, to ten or twelve birds, 

 who toss or move the leaves about, and make a great noise, but, unlike Newton's Bower-bird, 

 never fight at the play-ground, although they do so frequently with each other when feeding in 

 the trees. The green leaves vary from ten to over a hundred, according to the number of 

 birds frequenting the play-ground, which is resorted to all the year round. I forward you all 

 the green leaves taken from one measuring three feet four inches in diameter, that I found in 

 the scrub on the Upper Russell River, on the i8th September, 1891. They are twenty-eight in 

 number, and in the centre of the circle were two deep, being more scattered around the edge." 

 The leaves are long, varying from six to ten inches in length, and from one and a half to 

 two inches in breadth. Mr. I-". M. Bailey, F.L.S., Colonial Botanist, Queensland, has kindly 

 identified them as the leaflets of a tree described by him as Nephdinm callaric. In an e.xtract 

 forwarded,* Mr. Bailey states that " Callarie " is the aboriginal name of the tree at the Upper 

 Barron River, where he collected the specimens in June, 1SS9. He describes it as "a graceful 

 erect tree, about fifty feet high ; in all parts, except the upper side of leaflets, thinly covered with 

 a light pulverulence. Upper side of leaflets green, glabrous, under side almost white." 



Of the habits of these birds farther north, Mr. F"rank Hislop writes me as follows: — " In 

 the Bloomfield River District, the Tooth-billed Bower-birds are only found in the scrub on the 

 lofty mountain ranges. They generally have their play-ground in the dense undergrowth. 

 First, a small space about two or three feet in diameter is cleared of all dead leaves and 

 rubbish, and then from about thirty to fifty fresh green leaves are placed thereon, with their 

 white under sides uppermost. I think they must change the leaves very often, as one never 

 sees any withered leaves on the play-grounds frequented by these birds. They are excellent 

 mimics of the notes of other species. 'Bartchal' is the aboriginal name for them in this district." 

 Immature birds have the upper parts, wings, and tail brown, sligiitly washed with olive, 

 which is more distinct on the upper back; all the under surface white, tinged with fulvous, 

 the feathers being narrowly margined with dark brown except on the centre of the abdomen. 

 Wing 5-5 inches. 



O-en-O-S -iEI-iTJISCEIDXJS, Cabanis. 



iEluroedus viridis. 



CAT-BIRD. 

 Gracula viridis, Lath., Ind. Orn., Suppl., p. xxviii., (1801). 

 Ptilonnrhynchus smilhii, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol., Vol. IV., pi. II (1848). 

 Ailunedus smithii, Gon\d, Handbk. Bds. Austr., Vol.1., p. 446 (1865). 



jE'.uroedus viridis, Siiarpe, Oat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. VI., p, 38.5 (1881); North, Rec. Aust. Mus., 

 Vol. I., p. ill, pis. xii. and xiii. (I89I). 

 Adult male — General colour above grass-yreen, the crown of the head and hind neck ivashed 

 with olive, and having a narrow white streak in the centre of each feather ; quills and upper wing 



* Queensld. Agric. Journ., p. 388, October, 1889. 



