212 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



On the 19th December Mr. Elvei-y found another nest containing 

 two eggg nearly fresh. Tliis nest was built in tlie head of a bush, round 

 which was gi-owing a mass of " lawyer " vines, and was about twelve feet 

 from the groimd. On the 13th January following, he found a third 

 Regent's nest containing a pair of eggs. Nest and eggs, together with 

 the hen bird, which Mr. Elvery shot, were presented to the AustraJian 

 Museum, Sydney. 



Breeding months November, December, and January. 



169. — Prionodura newtoniana, De Vis. 



GOLDEN BOWER BIRD. 



Fj^Kce. — Sharpe : Birds of Paradise, part i., pi. 7. 

 Reference. — De Vis : Proc. Linn. Soc, N S. Wales, vol. vii., p. 582 

 Previous Description of Eggs. — DeVis: Report Scientific Expedition to 

 Bellenden-Ker Range, p. 87 (1889). 



Geographical Distribution. — North Queensland. 



Nest. — Cup-shaped, and loosely constructed of fibrous roots, hned with 

 finer material of the same kind, and decorated with a little green moss 

 on the outside (De Vis). j 



Effg.'?. — Clutch (?); pale yellowish-grey, profusely freckled and blotched 

 with pale brown. Dimensions: 27 mm. (TOG inch) by 19 mm. (-74 inch) 

 (De Vis).* 



Ohser vat inns. — This, the last-discovered species, and one of the most 

 beautiful of bower-bviilduig birds, vieing in its golden splendour the Regent 

 Bird, shares the shades of the northern scrubs of Queensland with its 

 curious cousin, the Tooth-billed Bower Bird (Tectoiiortiis (hntiro-itris). 



I cannot do better than give the discoverer's (Mr. K. Broadbent) own 

 interesting remarks of this rare and beautiful species, as read before the 

 Natiu'al Histoi-y Society of Queensland : — 



" Newton's Bower Bird (Prionodura newtoniana). — Tills bird was first 

 obtained by me in September, 1882, in the Tully River scrubs, though 

 I only secured then an immatiu-e specimen, coloiu'ed uniformly olive-brown 

 upon the upper surface. This — the type — Mr. De Vis described. 



" Whilst pursuing my ofiicial duties at Herberton in the months of 

 March to May, 1889, I met with several examples of a bird that I at once 

 detected to be Newton's Bower Bird, and amongst them some gaily- 

 coloured, full-plumaged cocks, which, instead of exliibiting the sombre 

 hues of youth, axe largely bright j^ellow-coloured, they being, as it is 



• Although I have given Mr, De Vis's description of the nest and egg, which appear 

 to be taken from specimens furnished by Mr. Archibald Meston, I have no doubt in my 

 own mind they are referable to some other bird — possibly the Fly-Robin (Heieromyias), 

 and not to the Colden Bower Bird. 



