204 



N/iSTS AND EGGS Uh AUSTh-AUAN lURDS. 



Ohaervatinnx. — This exceedingly fine species is the western ally of the 

 Queensland Bower Bird (C. orientalis), and the largest of its genus. 



Captain Stokes, in the " Discoveries of Australia, " mentions the remark- 

 able bowers of tliis bird, which he had seen at the Victoria River. To 

 Mr. H. H. Johnston, of the Survey Office, Western Australia, I am obUged 

 for photographs he took of a fine bower at Cambridge Gulf. The structiure 

 was about thirty inches tlu'ough the avenue, which was about eighteen 

 inches wide at either end, and with walls about the same dimensions in 

 height. The bower was built of fine twigs, and heaped about, principally 

 at the entrances, with bleached shells. The centre of the avenue also 

 contained a few shells and stones. 



The late Mr. Bowyer-Bower obtained bowers and birds in the Derby 

 district, which unfortunately were lost, with many other valuable 

 specimens, when his tent took fire. 



Specimens of the birds, nests, and eggs, which I was kindly permitted to 

 examine, were collected on the Katherine River, Northern Territory, during 

 the season 1898-9, by Mr. E, Olive, for Drs. C. Ryan and W. Snowball and 

 Mr. D. Le Souef. They were described by Mr. Le Souef in the " Victorian 

 Naturalist," as well as in the " Ibis," the following -interesting field 

 note by the collector appearing in the fonncr journal: — "These bii-ds 

 were fairly plentiful, and I saw several at their bowers. The bowers were 

 all similar to each other, with one exception, and that was not open on 

 the top, bvit ai-ched right through. I noticed one getting built. At first 

 the sticks were laid on the ground for a foundation, and then all the other 

 sticks were stood in between them. Every time they came to play they 

 brought fiiiit, bones, shells, or stones. I found a revolver cartridge in 

 one of the bowers. The birds were shy, and when they have a nest will 

 not go near it all day if anyone be about. They were inquisitive, for if a 

 person sat still near fniit trees on which they feed ihey would come within 

 two feet of him. When going to frxiit trees they fly one after the other." 



Tlie original eggs (one in each nest) were taken respectively 9th 

 October, and IStli and 19th November. 



165. — Chlamydera orientalis, Gould. 

 QUEENSLAND BOVVER BIRD. 



f;g«ie.— Gould-Sharpe. Birds of New Guinea, vol. i., pi. 44. 



Reference— Cm. Birds Brit. Mus , vi., p. 392. 



Pyevious Descriptions 0/ Eggs. -North: Victorian Naturalist, with figs. 



(1896;; Campbell: Proc. Roy. Phys. See, Edin., vol. xiv., 



p. 31 (1898). 



Geiiijraphica/ DktriJiution,. — North Queensland and Northern Temtory 

 (probably). 



