164 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXV. 



uniform faint creamy or warm white. One set is almost dead white 

 and lustreless, and all could easily be mistaken for pigeons' eggs 

 except for the texture of the shell. Of fifteen sets now before me, 

 two sets measure respectively — (a) 1.4 x 0.98 inches, (b) 1.38 x 

 0.97 inches ; (a) 1.29 x 0.99 inches, (b) 1.25 x 0.95 inches. 

 Six eggs measure — 1.32 x 0.98 inches ; 1.4x1 inches ; 1.4 x 1.02 

 inches; 1.4 x 0.97 inches; 1.4 x 1.03 inches; 1.31 x 0.94 

 inches. 



The eggs of Newton's Bower-bird are totally unlike those of 

 the typical Ptilonorhynchidce, which are noted for their strikingly 

 contrasted colours and peculiarity of their markings. The nest, 

 too, more resembles that of a Cat-bird or Rifle-bird, but differs 

 from either in the position in which it is built. Probably when 

 the nesting habits and eggs of any species of the New Guinea 

 genus, AmblyorniSy become known, Prionodura may be found to 

 be more closely allied to that form. 



A nestling about a week old is olive-brown above, or as much 

 of the feathers as are visible from the ends of their sheaths ; on 

 the crown of the head some smoky- brown down; the forehead, 

 sides of the head, and the throat bare ; fore-neck and breast light 

 olive-brown ; thighs with a slight covering of smoky-brown down. 

 Wing, 1.85 inches. Another specimen slightly older has a 

 golden-olive wash to the quills, and the entire plumage is soft 

 and downy. Wing, 2.5 inches. 



I know of no species in the Australian avifauna that is affected 

 so much by light as skins of the adult male of Newton's Bower- 

 bird. Specimens that have been mounted and placed on ex- 

 hibition for a few years, especially in hot climates, when compared 

 with recently procured examples, have a faded and washed-out 

 appearance, particularly of the golden-yellow under parts and 

 portion of the tail feathers. The collection brought back con- 

 tained about forty fully adult and richly coloured males. 



The following information was verbally supplied to me by Mr. 

 Sharp : — 



" During our travels in different parts of the tropical jungle we 

 found many play-grounds of the Tooth-billed Bower-bird and 

 bowers of Newton's Bower-bird. I was more interested, however, 

 in Newton's Bower-bird, and never tired of watching the actions 

 of them at their meeting-places. Some of the bowers on the 

 one side were over eight feet in height, and several of these 

 stick-formed walls were beautifully arched over the lower side. 

 It was amusing to watch a bird perched on the bough or stick 

 that runs crosswise near the bottom of these structures stretch out 

 as far as it could to ornament the inside of the higher wall with a 

 flower, usually an orchid. Several times I removed pieces of 

 moss, which is of one kind only, and hung them on shrubs close 

 by, and then drew into concealment and watched, and each time 



