■248 ' THE USEFUL BIRDS 



SATIN BOWER-BIRD 



(Satin-bird), 



Ptiloiiorhyncliiis violaceiis, Vieill. 



Til-d-no-ring'kus vl-d-Id'shius. 

 Ptilon, a downy feather ; rhunchos, bill ; violaceus, of a violet colour. 



Ptilonorhynchus holosericeus, Gould, " Birds of Australia," 

 fol., vol. iv., pi. 10. 



Geographical Distribution. — Areas 2, 3, 4. 



Key to the Species. — Male — Purplish-black ; bill higher than broad at 

 nostrils ; nostrils entirely covered with silky feathers, dense and 

 recurved. Total length, 12.5 inches. 



Female — Greyish-green on upper surface ; under surface 

 lunated. 



The Bower-birds collectively constitute a beautiful and 

 interesting sub-family of our native fauna, assisting to make 

 the Australian region, so full of strange and novel forms, stand 

 apart from all other regions as regards animal life. 



A moment's glance at the members of this sub -family 

 discloses ten species inhabiting our continent, one frequenting 

 the heavy timber of the eastern coast as far south as Bass 

 Straits ; two .along the coast north of the Clarence River ; 

 and the remainder broadly scattered through the hot, dry 

 areas of the back country. They exhibit a wonderful variety 

 of colouration. One is conspicuously marked by a lilac-pink 

 neck ; another is clothed in the richest of yellow and black 

 feathers ; a third handsomely spotted ; and a fourth perfect 

 in its shining satin-blue coat. 



The Satin Bower-bird confines its habitat to the humid 

 lands of the south-east, associating in small flocks during the 

 cold months in the vicinity of rivers. It is a shy bird, and, 

 as a general rule, stationary, but, like most birds, it will move 



