Hubert D. Astley—The Australian Cat-bird



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THE AUSTRALIAN CAT-BIRD {ALURCEDUS


VIRIDIS )


By Hubert D. Astley, M.A.


I obtained at the beginning of November a pair of Cat-birds, a

true pair, which is a rare importation. Structurally and in general

appearance the JEluroedi are closely allied to the Bower-birds, which

are relatives of the Birds of Paradise. M. viridis is the size of an

English Jay, the general colour being grass-green, spotted with dull

white. The eyes are large, the male’s being bright reddish-brown,

the female's rather lighter.


Gould asserts that the Cat-birds have never been found to

construct any bowers, but the nest is a beautiful structure, bowl¬

shaped, and entwined round with the large broad leaves of certain

trees on a base of twigs, the leaves evidently being picked when

fresh. The interior is lined with fine twigs. This Cat-bird inhabits

the coastal ranges of New South Wales and Southern Queensland. It is

plentiful in Kambewarra and the Kangaroo Valley, or was when

Gould wrote of it. Let us hope it is still the case, since the species

is evidently protected by law.


This bird derives its name from the fact that its loud cries (which

I have not yet hoard) resemble the caterwauling of cats on the tiles !

Fortunately I imagine this concert is not performed by night on the

part of the birds. Mine may perhaps not be in fully adult plumage,

for the white spotting is neither as clear or as large as is depicted in

both Gould’s and Elliot’s family of the Paradise Birds.


At present I keep my Cat-birds in a roomy wicker cage, but next

spring if all goes well I hope to turn them into an aviary. They are

very active, taking long jumps from perch to perch without opening

their wings, and their expressions are decidedly intelligent.

Personally I admire their neat appearance and comparatively

sober colouring more than that of some of the Paradise Birds, which

are inclined to look like over-dressed women and to be clumsy in

movement, which the Cat-birds are certainly not. They are fed on an

inseetile mixture, with banana, apple, white grapes, and a little raw

meat. Tliev are very fond of mealworms, although it is said that in



