6 Ram<^ay, Birds in Upper Clarence River District. f^fXiy 



habitat of this species; but Dr. E. P. Ramsay does, in his "Tabular 

 List "• (1888). It is indeed a happy coincidence that Mr. John Ramsay 

 confirms his father's useful "List." The specimen that Mr. Ramsay 

 collected, now added to the " H. L. White Collection," National 

 Museum, Melbourne, is well represented by the central figure of 

 Gould's excellent plate of this species in " Birds of Australia," vol. iv. 

 —Eds.] 



Myzomela sanguineolenta. Sanguineous Honey-eater. — A number 

 of males were noted, in which the cap of the head, nape, and a narrow 

 line running down to the back of the neck was a bright golden yellow, 

 caused by the pollen of wild-flowers (probably " native passion-fruit ") 

 accumulating in the feathers. On shooting a specimen the pollen 

 was found like a yellow powder, and so heavy that it would fall out 

 if the bird was laid on its back. 



Oriolus viridis (Sagittarius). Australian Oriole.— Birds plentiful. 

 On two occasions it was noted that their partly completed nests were 

 taken possession of by Drongos. 



Chibia bracteata. Spangled Drongo. — Fairly common at Camp 

 2, and a most quarrelsome bird. I have more than once lost sight 

 of a female Rifle-Bird through a Drongo suddenly swooping down and 

 driving her away. If its victim is in the air it has little hope of 

 escape, but I have seen the Rifle-Bird put up a good fight when on 

 a branch, and ultimately drive away the intruder. As noted above, 

 on two occasions, at least, they took possession of nests of the Oriole. 



Ptilonorhynchus violaceus. Satin Bower-Bird. — Satin-Birds were 

 common at both camps, feeding in company with Cat-Birds, Pigeons, 

 &c., on lilly-pillies, figs, and other berries. Of five bowers examined, 

 not one contained anything beyond twigs and a few fresh leaves ; 

 not even a single shell was observed. Possibly they were new bowers, 

 the others having been destroyed by fire. An old male was 

 observed to strip the leaves from and ultimately pick some young 

 green gum-shoots, which he took to the bower, while another was seen 

 to eat with evident enjoyment the fleshy leaves of the smaller of the 

 two giant nettles. 



On the nth November a female was observed carrying leaves to 

 a nest built in a bunch of mistletoe (Loranthus) at the extreme tip 

 of a horizontal branch some go feet from the ground. Even the 

 local blacks would not attempt the climb, and the young, no doubt, 

 were duly hatched. A second nest was in the hollow ledge formed 

 by a broken-off bough of a huge grey gum, the first branch of which 

 was just reached by an 80-foot ladder. From this one heavily- 

 incubated egg was taken 26 days after the nest was discovered being 

 built. Another nest, at a height of 1 1 5 feet, was placed among some 

 shoots on a horizontal branch, and also contained one egg well 

 incubated. Five other nests were all at great heights— two were 

 quite " ungettable," and two others which were ultimately inspected 

 proved deserted ; the fifth was unfinished at time of leaving. Of 

 the eight nests, only one could be seen from the ground, and they 

 were only discovered by closely watching the birds. They are very 

 wary when building, and will perch quietly for a long time with twigs 

 or leaves before actually going to the nest. They will also, at times, 

 carry twigs, &c., about aimlessly, to be either dropped in mid-air or 

 placed on the top of some branch which provides no possible support 

 for a nest. 



