Futther Notes on the Regent Bird. 365


FURTHER NOTES ON THE REGENT BIRD.


Sericulus melinus.


By Reginald Philupps.


At pages 51, 88, and 123 of Vol. IV. N.S., of our Magazine

may be found various notes on the Regent Bird, an exceptionally

handsome and interesting species, now probably extinct out of

Australia excepting only one pair, concerning which I propose

saying a few words.


In 1905, a young male was bred in my aviary ; and in July,

1910, I succeeded in obtaining a mate for him, one of the lot that

was brought to this country by Mr. Carrick in January, 1903.


This species, like other Bower Birds, constructs a regular

bower, a small affair by comparison with some others but very

interesting, and permanent if in a sheltered place. These bowers

are much more than mere ‘ play-grounds,’ as it seems to be the

custom to call them uow-a-days. It is the spot where all the

Regent Birds of a district, of both sexes and all ages, congregate

together and where they become acquainted ; but at these General

or Courting Bowers the birds do not go beyond dancing, romp¬

ing, and flirting.


As the nesting season draws near, the adult females with¬

draw from the General Bower, scatter, and each makes a private

bower for herself, somewhat of the shape of a horse-shoe magnet

{ibid. pp. 61 and 62). I see that I called these ‘love-parlours’

before, but probably the name ‘Nuptial Bower’ would be better.

In these Nuptial Bowers, each by herself, the females, who are

understood to out-number the males, use all their arts to attract

a male. For a while, the two birds are all in all to one another

in and around the Nuptial Bower, the female commences to

build, the Nuptial Bower—or what remains of it—is scattered to

the winds, the spot is deserted, and the male goes off after female

No. 2 in another Nuptial Bower elsewhere, leaving the first to

finish her nest by herself, lay two beautiful eggs, sit upon them

for 1S-19 days, hatch out two chicks with bills and legs of a

leaden-black colour, and whitish down with a leaden tinge,

rather irregularly distributed, and so developed on the top of the

head as almost to form a mop. When, as brancliers, they have

cast the down from the head, they adopt on the crown a brown-



