12 XUBLIXG, The Satin Bower Bird. rat'S" 



mitidie. wliere no sticks were planted for about 3 Indies, 

 otherwise the sticks were all upright. The bower was not in 

 the centre of the platform, but had its Ijack entrance within a 

 few inches of the periphery. 



After Avaiting a while, seated about 10 feet distant, we saw 

 the bird in a tree overhead, with a stick in its bill. It flew first 

 down to the stump, and then to the platform, where it hopped 

 about, emitting repeatedly a buzzing sound, and uttering short 

 cries, whilst its wings were slightly raised. Other visits gave 

 -Mr. Potter an opportunity to take two photographs. 



Continuing our journey, we noticed another blue-black Satin- 

 Bird, and, after a three mile walk, arrived at the place where 

 we had previously seen an old male-bird, with a stick in its bill. 

 Mr. Potter then discovered bower Xo. 2. situated amongst some 

 tussocks near a small lillipilly tree (Eugenia Sinithii) ; a slender 

 six-foot-high pine tree stood still closer to the platforiii; two 

 turpentine trees ( Syncarf^ia laiirifolia) were not far ott. and 

 behind tlie tussocks was scrub, with yellow-flowering s!irui)s. 



The platform measured roughly 3 by 2 feet, and was loosely 

 made of sticks, and not so neat in appearance as the first. The 

 ccjllection on it included dry leaves of Banksia and Schi.coineria : 

 tAvo different snail shells, kindly named by Mr. Hedley, Curat(v,- 

 of the Australian Museum, Sydney, as Tliersitcs jcri'iscnsis. and 

 RJiyticla capillacca la carnivorous snail), as at bower Xo. i : the 

 blue drawer of a match box; several blue feathers of the Crimson 

 Parrot; two large tail feathers of the White Cockatoo; two 

 puft-l)all fungi; tlie empty shell of a Cicada larva; a piece of blue 

 glass, and a piece of porcelain with l)lue strij)e. evidently picked 

 u]) at some camping place. The measurements of the bower, 

 which had its back entrance almost on the periphery of die plat- 

 form close to a tussock, with just enough space to allow the bird 

 to pass between them, were as follows: — Length of walls, 12 

 inches; average heiglit, 12 inches, some fine twigs being up to 

 21 inches long; greatest external width. 12 inches; internal width, 

 in centre 5 inches, narrower at the ends ; the bottom slightly hol- 

 lowed in the centre part. The sticks of the walls were all set 

 straight upright, but arched neatly over on the to]). It wa-^ a 

 I'eautifully-niade Ixiwcr. 



We took up a position some () feet away. l\ing on the ground, 

 and awaiting developments. We were delighted to see the bird 

 appr',acliing. with a little hesitation at first, and during our stay 

 pay five or six visits to the playground. To our presence he 

 iiad evidently no objection, as long as we kept (|uiet. His a]v 

 ]iroaciies to the bower were made from \arying directions. 

 (Generally he alighted in a smaller tree, or bu>h. then llew down to 

 the ground, hopping to the bower through the tu.ssocks, bringing 

 a stick, a leaf, some flowers, or other article, but we never hear*! 

 liim utter a sound whilst thus occupied, nor when he attenc'ed ',0 



