592 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



of progression is doubtless seldom resorted to further than to 

 transport it from tree to tree, or from one part of the forest 

 to another. That it is stationary, and breeds in South-eastern 

 Australia, is evident from the numerous specimens of all ages 

 that have been sent from thence to Europe. 



Since the above remarks were published in the folio edition, 

 the late V. Strange forwarded me the following note, which I 

 give in his own words : — 



" The principal resort of the Rifle-Bird is among the large 

 cedar-brushes that skirt the mountains and creeks of the 

 Manning, Hastings, MacLeay, Bellenger, Clarence, and Rich- 

 mond Rivers, and there, during the pairing-months of No- 

 vember and December, the male bird is easily found. At 

 that time of the year, as soon as the sun's rays gild the tops of 

 the trees, up goes the Rifle Bird from the thickets below to 

 the higher branches of the pines [Araucaria macleayand) 

 which there abound. It always affects a situation where 

 three or four of these trees occur about two hundred yards 

 apart, and there the morning is spent in short flights from 

 tree to tree, in sunning and preening its feathers, and in utter- 

 ing its song each time it leaves one tree for another. The 

 sound emitted resembles a prolonged utterance of the word 

 " Yass," by which the bird is known to the natives of the Rich- 

 mond River. In passing from tree to tree, it also makes an 

 extraordinary noise resembling the shaking of a piece of new 

 stiff silk. After 10 a.m. it descends lower down, and then 

 mostly resorts to the thick limb of a Cedar-tree {Cedrela 

 australis), and there continues to utter its cry of Yass at in- 

 tervals of two minutes' duration ; at this time, owing to the 

 thickness of the limb and the closeness with which the bird 

 keeps to it, it is very difficult of detection ; wait with patience, 

 however, and you will soon see him, with wings extended, and 

 his head thrown on his back, whirling round and round, 

 first one way and then another." 



The adult male has the general plumage rich velvety black, 



