448 lUKDS or Al'STKALIA. 



those of PfilonorJij/ncIiNS. I nlliulo more particnlnrly to tlioir 

 bowers or playing-plaees, which are of no gn^at size in the 

 former ease, but here attain their maxinunn so far as is 

 known. Tliese extraordinary phiying-phices have been ii 

 som'cc of nuuli speeuhition, and by some persons have been 

 considered to be made by tlie Aborigines as cradles for tlieir 

 chihh'en ; but it is now known that they are pUices of resort 

 for both sexes of these birds at that season of the year when 

 nature prompts thiMU to reproduce their kind. Here the 

 males meet and contend with each other for the favours of 

 the females, and here also the latter assemble and coquet 

 with the males. These highly decorated halls of assembly 

 nuist, therefore, be regarded as the most wonderful instances 

 of bh'd-architecture yet discovered. Those of my readers 

 who are not acquainted with these curious structures will do 

 well to refer to the drawings of them in the folio edition, for 

 no descri[)tion, however accurate, can convey an adecpiate 

 idea of them. The bowers nuist not be confounded with 

 their nests, which are made in the ordinary way among the 

 branches of trees, and, as far as we yet know, assimilate very 

 closely in size and form to that of the Jay of Europe, Garnilus 

 (/landarius. 



Sp. x^7S. CIILAMYDODErvA NUCIIALIS. 



Great Boaver-bikd. 



Ptiloiior/ii/iic/ius ituchalis, Jard. and Selb. 111. Orn., vol. ii. pi. 103. 

 Colodero ituchalis, Gould, Syn. Birds of Australia, part i. 

 Chlamydera nuchalis, Gould, Birds of Australia, 1837, part i. cancelled. 

 Chlamydodera nuchalis, Cab. Mus. liein., Theil i. p. 212. 



Chlamydera nuchalis, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol, vol. iv. pi. 9. 



This fine species was tirst described and figured in the 

 " Illustrations of Ornithology," by Sir William .Tardine and 

 ^Ir. Selby, from the then unique specimens in the collection 

 of the Linnean Society ; but neither the [)ai't of Australia of 



