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plumage is beautiful, and in the sun a splendid shining blue-

black. He has been so since I have had him.” It will be seen,

therefore, that this bird, which has been in full colour for three

years and a half, is still “ very much alive ” ; and, if no accident

should occur, I shall be surprised if he does not continue to be

“ very much alive ” for years to come. R. P.]


THE REGENT BIRD.—Although quite right as to

the rarity of the Golden Bovver-bird, Mr. Page is behind the

times when he supposes (p. 69; that the Regent has not been

imported. For some years it has been an occasional—but

unwilling—visitor to this country ; it lias been represented at

the Loudon Zoological Gardens more than once ; and even so

recently as this latest month of February an adult male has been

exhibited at the Palace—but its merits cannot be observed in a

cage. I have had three specimens myself, and still have one—

an inimatu:e male. Of the three species of Bower-birds which

I have kept, taking all things into consideration, I prefer the

Regent; but it is not nearly so robust as the Satin-bird, nor is it

nearly so diligent, at least with me, in its building of bovvers ;

but perhaps this is owing to the cold driving it so much into the

house. There is a peculiarity about some (for they are not all

constructed on the same plan) of the bowers of this species

which I have never seen mentioned by any writer. Mr. Campbell

does not speak of it ; but unwittingly and very opportunely he

seems to have supplied an explanation of the peculiarity of

which I was wholly unconscious. In the exact centre of the

bower, which I have not seen used as a “ run,” a “ nest,” of the

size of a saucer, is carefully prepared ; and all the bird’s

treasures, consisting in my aviary of small stones, are deposited

in this “ nest.” Now let me quote from Mr. Campbell’s new

Book :—“ Archie’s own observations concerning birds he saw

performing in this bower are : ‘ When first seen there were three

birds playing in the bower; two were what we took to be males

—but they were immature—and the other was a female. The

antics they went through were extraordinary, and they were not

in the least disturbed by our presence. One would go into the

centre of the bower and, picking up a shell, of which there were

three, would dance, half opening its wings and then tossing the

shell in the air or over its head would run out. While this was

going on the other two birds outside were scraping or sweeping

the ground with their wings, and when the shell fell, one would

pick it up and enter the bower to go through the same

performance as the first bird, and so on. There were four or five



