2o8 NESTS AXD EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



" It excels all other Bower Birds as a mimic, and may be fitly termed the 

 master mocking bird of Australia. Not only will it imitate the note of 

 eveiy bird in its neighbourhood, but so closely does it do so, that they are 

 drawn to it as to one of their own kind. Tliis is especially the case 

 during the breeding season, and in May I have remained at one spot in 

 the Herberton scrubs by the half-hour, listening with wonder to its 

 changeful utterances. Its bower, or dancing-gi-ound, is of a unique des- 

 cription ; a small portion of the ground of the scnib being rendered 

 perfectly bare for the space of a square yard or so, save the presence of 

 seven to nine large leaves, wluch the bird has placed therein, and with 

 which it plays. Tliese leaves, which are those of a particular kind of tree, 

 it renews ,eveiT morning." 



Mr. Broadbent has kindlv given me an original sketch sho^ving the 

 locality and one of these circular play-grounds found by him in the 

 Cardwell ranges. 



Mr. Le Souef tells me that diuing his peregrinations in the Bloomfield 

 River district he came across about a dozen play-grounds of the Tooth- 

 billed Cat Bird. Tliey were found in the dense scnib of the higher 

 countiy. He was tisually attracted to the particular spot by the birds 

 whisthng near. 



Upon the cleared plav-ground are placed about nine oval-shaped 

 moderately-sized (about three inches long) leaves, a few inches apart. 

 Mr. Le Souef agiees with Mr. Broadbent that the leaves are from one kind 

 of tree, with the additional inforaiation tliat the leaves are always placed 

 face downwards — perhaps the soft, lighter-coloured appearance of the 

 imderside of the leaf is more pleasing to the birds. 



Mr. Le Souef took a photograph of one of these playgrounds, but the 

 difficulties of the dense shade mitigate against its complete success. 



Oologi.sts are on the tip-toe of expectation for the discovery of the nest 

 and eggs of this interesting scrub-dweller, also for further information 

 respecting the nidification of its cousin of more " architectonic wisdom " — 

 the richly-coloured Golden Bower Bird (Prinnofhira nnrtnninnaj. 



168. — Sericulus meltnus, Swainson. — (282) 

 REGENT BIRD. 



Figure. — Gould: Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iv., pi 12. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vi , p 395. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Ramsay: Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S. Wales, 

 2nd ser., vol. i., p 1138, pi. 19 (1886); North: Proc. Linn. 

 Soc. N.S. Wales. 2nd ser., vol. i., p. 1160 (1886) : Campbell : 

 Proc. Roy. Soc, Victoria, vol v.. new ser.. p 123 (1893), also 

 Proc Roy. Phys. Soc , Edin., vol. xiv., p. 37 (1898) 



Geographiral Dutrihution. — South Queensland and New South Wales. 



A^f.if. — Flat, slightly concave ; loosely constructed of coarse twigs or 

 dead branchlets. lined on top with fine brownish twigs and long yellowish 



