NESTS AXD liaGS 01- AUS lliAl.1 AN HINDS. 205 



Nest. — Flat, slightly concave; loosely constnictcd of coarse twigs, and 

 lined with finer twigs; usually placed in a small tree or saphug iu scnib. 

 Uimcnsious over all, S to 10 inches by 4 inches iu depth. Usually placed 

 at a lieight of about ten to twelve feet from the giound, in o])en forest 

 countiy. 



Kij(ji. — Clutch, two; shape, roundish oval; textiU'C of shell fine; 

 surface glossy; colour, light grccnish-grcy, curiously but moderately 

 streaked with wavy line-like markings of umber, olive-brown, and light- 

 slate. The majoi'ity of the markings take a latitudinal direction, cros.sing 

 and recrossing each other, while some of the heavier lines take longitudinal 

 or various directions. There are also a few fancifully-shaped dark blotches 

 here and there over the shell. Dimensions in inches of odd examples : 



(1) 1"68 X ri2, (2) 1-57 X 1-16 ; of a clutch much marked all over, including 

 both ends, with the extraordinaiy hair-like lines: (1) l-5'2 x 1-12, 



(2) 1-54 X 1-1. 



OhxiTvatiuiiii. — This very line bird inhabits Northern Queensland, 

 probably extending its range into the Northern Territory. It would, 

 indeed, be interesting to learn, as Mr. North remarks, where the eastern 

 and north-western races — C. orieutalis and C . nuchalis — meet. 



Mr. Kendall Broadbent obtained the Queensland Bower Bird during 

 September at Herbert Vale. He also met with it at the Herbert Gorge, 

 and allhcmgh he fonnd this bird at Boweii and near Townsvillc, it is 

 the Gulf of Carpentaria chstrict that seemed to Mr. Broadbent to be the 

 bird s true home, for nowhere did he meet it more plentiful than at the 

 mouth of the Norman River. It was at this river that Mr. Broadbent 

 collected the interesting group of birds and bower which may be seen in 

 the National Museum, Melbourne. Eight males and twelve females were 

 shot at the bower. 



The following original notes I have received from Mr. Ed. Cornwall, 

 Burdckin River district, relative to tliis Bower Bird : — " I tliink I have 

 discovered a new trait in the character of the Queensland Bower Bird. 

 They are very plentiful about Roseneath Garden, and are very destructive 

 to the crops; chillies, paw-paws, granadillas, guavas, mangoes, peas, — ^in 

 fact, every description of fruit suffers to a greater or less extent from their 

 depredations. But their last object of attack proves them to be not 

 entirely vegetarians, vmless new-laid eggs be called diet for non-eaters of 

 flesh ! This is not mere supposition, but hard fact, for after noticing the 

 disappearance of eggs in a most unaccoimtable manner for some time, the 

 gardener kept watch, and was rewarded by seeing Mr. Bower Bird fly 

 straight to a nest vacated by a fowl, and deliberately devour its contents. 

 This may not be a remarkable incident, but to me it certainly appeared 

 strange." 



Again writing. Mr. Cornwall says: — "Re the Queensland Bower Bird, 

 since wiiting you last I have had further e\'idence to convict this rogue 

 of what I charged liim with. A bird was seen to fly right to the fowl's 

 nest in an empty shed, and immediately afterwards emerge with an egg 

 in its long claws. But it proved rather an awkward burden, for the bird 

 dropped it ere he had gone many yards." 



