20 XUBLIXG. The SaUu Bozver Bird. TisffuTy" 



Before 5 the Satin was at the bower again, eating some 

 cherries I had thrown there for him. At the same time a second, 

 slightly smaller blue-back male with darker beak was approach- 

 ing from the creek under cover of the scrub. Suddenly mv 

 friend at the bower grew alert, dived into the scrub, and a few 

 seconds later was pursuing the other, who retreated in hot haste, 

 "fhe owner of the bower then returned to continue the inter- 

 rupted feast. The second male was no d()u]:)t the same which 

 had previously been observed about the bower with mischievous 

 intentions. 



I laving rlown off, he was back at 3, eating ciierries. lifting ui> 

 Ijeads and leaves, and making a general tidying up of the plav- 

 ground. Without doubt, the earlv hours, from dawn till the 

 sun >hines into tiie bower, arc tlie best to study his iiabits. 



At our rire])lace a Catljird i Ailura-dus crassirostris) was 

 noticed with the blue-black Satin not far off. Another Catbird 

 was observed, feeding on st)mething whitish, ])resumablv grubs. 

 It was in fine plumage, and quite unconcerned about mv pre- 

 sence. It came close to the fire-place, picked up a small crust 

 of cheese, and made off with it. 



Before 7 fresh Billardicra blossoms, more shells of Cicada 

 larvje, a small piece of string, and a young, curled up. bracken 

 fern leaf had been added to the rather crowded i)layground. 

 At 7 o'clock, hearing the wheezing notes of liower-IHrds, 1 crei)t 

 up to a stumjj. wherefrom I could overlook the jjlayground. To 

 my delight I found male and female there together. 



They would run roimd the bower and through it. then disap- 

 pear in the tussocks. Presently the female slipped into the 

 ixjwer. and the male took up a position in front of it. slig^tlv t<> 

 the side of the wall, and facing the female. Immediately a sJiort 

 vocal and mimic ]:)erformance followed. He then ho])])ed round 

 the bower, calling, and with peculiar antics, while the female re- 

 mained quietly inside. These items were repeated several times, 

 the female after each number of the programme slip])ing oft" 

 into the tussocks, while the male either followed, or stopped on 

 the platform. .Vfter these overtures the play proper began, 

 lasting for close on 25 minutes, during which time the female 

 never left the bower, only occasionally shifting her position a 

 little forwards or backwards, now and then turning her head 

 from one side to the other, jacking perhaps at the wall, but 

 generally keeping (|uite still. Only in one instance did she move 

 for half a minute, or so. to the back, just outside the avenue of 

 the bower. Her attitude in the bower was the same as that of 

 the male, resting on her legs and feet, planted well apart. Con- 

 senting to be the central figure of the programme, she probably 

 did not ])erceivc what all the fuss was about. 



The attitudes of the male were peculiar. Mis head was benl 

 downward, the neck long stretched out, the wings were slightlv 



