IN8ESS0RES. 459 



the banks of the Brisbane River, he saw a male Regent-bird 

 playing on the ground, jumping up and down, puffing out 

 its feathers, and rolling about in a very odd manner, which 

 occasioned much surprise, never having seen the bird on the 

 ground before. The spot where it was playing was thickly 

 covered with small shrubs ; not wishing to lose the opportunity 

 of procuring a specimen, he fired, but only succeeded in 

 wounding it : and on searching the spot, he found a bower 

 formed between, and supported by, two small brush plants, 

 and surrounded by small shrubs, so much so, that he had to 

 creep on his hands and knees to get to it ; while doing so, the 

 female bird came down from a lofty tree, uttered her peculiar 

 note, and lit on a branch immediately over the bower, 

 apparently with the intention of alighting in front of it, 

 but was scared away on seeing Mr. Waller so close to her. 

 She continued flitting over the place, and calling for her 

 mate so long as he was in the neighbourhood. Mr. Waller 

 believes that the male bird, after being wounded, flut- 

 tered to some distance from the bower, and died, as a male 

 Regent- bird was found dead two days afterwards in a more 

 open part of the brush. On visiting the scrub on the 

 following and several successive days, the female bird was 

 seen in the locality of the bower, and by her constant calling 

 was apparently lamenting the loss, or what might seem to 

 her the inconstancy of her mate. * The ground around the 

 bower was clear of leaves for some twelve or eighteen inches, 

 and had the appearance of having been swept, the only ob- 

 jects in its immediate vicinity being a small specimen of hehx. 

 The structure was alike at both ends, but the part designated 

 as the front was more easy of approach, and had the principal 

 decorations ; the approach to the back being more closed 

 by scrub. Mr. Waller being desirous that this curious habit 

 of the Regent-bird should be verified, determined to leave 

 the bower untouched until he had acquainted me with his 

 discovery. Circumstances occurred to prevent me from 



