442 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



Sp. 276. PTILONORHYNCHUS HOLOSERICEUS, KuliL 



Satin Bower-bird. 



Ptilonorhynchus holosericeus, Kuhl, Beytr. zur Zool., S. 150. 



Pyirhocorax violaceus, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., torn. vi. p. 569. 



Kitta holosericea, Temra. PI. Col., 395 and 422. 



Satin Grakle, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iii. p. 171. 



Ptilonorhynchus macleayii, Lath. MSS., Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. 



Trans., vol. xv. p. 263. 

 Corvus squamulosus, 111., female or young ? 



Ptilonorhynchus squamulosus, Wagl. Syst. Av., sp. 2, female or young ? 

 Ptilorhynchus holosericeus, Cab. Mus. Hein., Theil i. p. 213. 

 Satin Bird of the Colonists of New South Wales. 

 Cowry of the Aborigines of the coast of New South Wales. 



Ptilonorhynchus holosericeus, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., 

 vol. iv. pi. 10. 



Although this species had been long known to ornithologists 

 and to the colonists of New South Wales, its extraordinary 

 habits had never been brought before the scientific world 

 until I had the gratification of publishing an account of them 

 after my return from Australia. 



The localities frequented by the Satin Bower-bird are the 

 luxuriant and thickly-foliaged brushes stretching along the 

 coast from Port Philip to Moreton Bay, and the cedar-brushes 

 of the Liverpool range. So far as is at present known, it is 

 restricted to New South Wales ; certainly it is not found so 

 far to the westward as South Australia, and I am not aware 

 of its having been seen on the north coast ; but its range in 

 that direction can only be determined by future research. 



It is a stationary species, but appears to roam from one 

 part of a district to another, either for the purpose of varying 

 the nature, or of obtaining a more abundant supply of food. 

 Judging from the contents of the stomachs of the many 

 specimens I dissected, it would seem that it is altogether 

 frugivorous, or if not exclusively so, that insects form but a 

 small portion of its diet. Independently of numerous berry- 



