478 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



the stem and the long tendrils of a climbing-plant {Cissus) 

 matted and woven together, and lined with finer pieces of the 

 same, a few leaves (generally strips of Pandanus leaf), the 

 hair-like fibres of a palm [Caryota cereiis), and similar mate- 

 rials : the eggs, usually two, but often three in number, are 

 an inch long by eight-tenths of an inch broad, and of a bluish 

 grey, speckled with reddish pink, chiefly at the larger end ; 

 some have scarcely any markings, others a few minute dots 

 only. The note of the bird is short, sharp, and shrill, and 

 resembles ' twee-twee,' repeated, as if angrily, several times in 

 quick succession. 



" On the tree above mentioned the nests were about fifty 

 in number, often solitary, but usually three or four together 

 in a cluster — sometimes so closely placed as to touch each 

 other. 



"The bird appears to enjoy a wide range. During the 

 progress of the expedition two were shot at the Duchateau 

 Isles, in the Louisiade Archipelago, and I saw a specimen on 

 board H.M.S. Meander, which had been procured at Carteret 

 Harbour, in New Ireland. 



"The stomachs of those examined contained triturated 

 seeds and other vegetable matter." 



When fully adult, the two sexes are so precisely alike that 

 dissection must be resorted to to distinguish them. 



The general plumage is a mixture of dark rich bronzy green 

 and purple, the green hue predominating on the lower part of 

 the throat and the upper part of the back; wings and tail 

 bluish black, washed on the margins with bronzy green ; bill 

 and feet black ; irides vermilion. 



The young of both sexes have the upper surface similarly 

 coloured, but not so bright as in the adult; wings brown, 

 narrowly margined with brownish white ; all the under surface 

 bufFy white, streaked on the breast, flanks, and under tail- 

 coverts with brownish black. 



