Vol. XIX 

 1919 



] Ramsay, Birds in Upf^ev Clarence River District. 



Ailuroedus smithi ( viridis . (■.il-Hird— ("at -Birds wcro common. 

 cs]iocialI\- so at llu> first (amp. I'raclically all the nests nolccl were 

 in tree-terns at the heads ot <h->- j^ullies in seeiiided ])ar1s ol llie scrub. 



Ptiloris paradisea. Ivitlv-Bird. -At Camj) i only one Ritle- 

 Bird was noted — a female. As the weather was cold she kept to 

 the forest timl>er, and was seldom seen in the scrub, preferring to 

 follow the sunlight around the steep hillsides. Although she was 

 shy, there were opportunities of observing her habits, and I was much 

 interested in her feeding. Clinging like a Climacteris to the side of 

 a branch or trunk, she would pick , a few times at some loose bark or 

 rotten timber, and then lay her ear against it listening for any 

 movement of insects within. She would peck and listen a few times, 

 move on a foot or so, repeat the performance, and then suddenly 

 pick and tear furiously, while bark and rotten wood showered down, 

 until the unfortunate beetle or centipede was discovered and devoured. 

 The birds showed great strength of legs and claws, and clung to the 

 under side of a branch for long periods ; one was timed for over 

 40 minutes hanging head downwards on a broken branch, apparently 

 devouring ants or their larvae. 



An old male was known to frequent the site of our second camp, 

 and paid us a visit while our tent was being erected, nor during the 

 whole time we were there did he show any fear of us. On one 

 occasion, at least, he slept a night in a bangalow palm to the trunk 

 of which the tent-pole was fixed. He came to a big ironbark tree 

 near the camp several times a day, and plumed himself and rested 

 in the sun, calling at intervals. The second day a female arrived on 

 the scene, and a few days later a second one appeared and attacked 

 the first for a while, though all three birds moved off together a 

 little later. 



From that date (21st October) to the end of December some of 

 them were under observation almost every day. Very seldom were 

 they seen in the scrub, though occasionally they were found quietly 

 feeding on the berries of the " bastard rosewood " (Synoum glandu- 

 losiini], or native tamarind, in company with Satin-Birds. They were 

 never observed lower than about 15 feet, and only once seen to drink, 

 when the old male had recourse to a little store of water held in a 

 fork some 50 feet up a red gum. Each morning, at daybreak, he 

 would take up a position on top of a great ironbark branch, and 

 spend a quarter of an hour pluming himself ; then he commenced to 

 call at intervals of a few minutes, though with wings closed, a'nd 

 just sitting idly on the branch. Suddenly he would face about and 

 extend his wings so that each quill showed separately and the 

 extreme tips just met in front of him. This was an infallible sign 

 that one of the females was present, and she would .soon be dis- 

 covered close at hand. With wings extended and head thrown back 

 so as to display the beautiful throat feathers, he would then throw 

 his body from side to side, the feathers making quite a loud noise, 

 like " Woof-woof." Occasionally one of the females would step 

 daintily along, and, facing him, spread her wings and sway from side 

 to side, copying his every movement. [More often she would flit 

 along past him, and continue on out of the tree. Sometimes he would 

 call her a few times, sometimes he would follow immediately ; but 

 it always ended in a wild chase through the ti'ees and across gullies, 

 where it was impossible, without wings, to follow at any speed. 

 A quarter of an hour later he would be heard calling, and thereafter 



