156 LEAVES EEOM THE 



watching at tlie water-holes where they come to drink ; 

 and on one occasion, near the termination of a long 

 drought, he was guided by a native to a deep basin in a 

 rock where water, the produce of many antecedent 

 months, still remained. Numbers of the spotted bower- 

 birds, honeysuckers, and parrots, sought this welcome 

 reservoir, which had seldom, if ever before, reflected a 

 white face. Mr. Gould's presence was regarded with 

 suspicion by the winged frequenters of this attractive 

 spot ; but while he remained lying on the ground per- 

 fectly motionless, though close to the water, their wants 

 overpowered their misgivings, and they would dash down 

 past him and eagerly take their fill, although an enor- 

 mous black snake was lying coiled upon a piece of wood 

 near the edge of the pool. At this interesting post Mr. 

 Gould remained for three days. The spotted bower-birds 

 were the most numerous of the thirsty assemblage there 

 congregated, and the most shy, and yet he had the satis- 

 faction of frequently seeing six or eight of them display- 

 ing their beautiful necks as they were perched within a 

 few feet of him. He states that the scanty supply of 

 water remaining in the cavity must soon have been ex- 

 hausted by the thousands of birds that daily resorted to 

 it, if the rains which had so long been suspended had 

 not descended in torrents. 



Mr. Gould discovered several of the bowers of this 

 species during his journey to the interior, the finest of 

 which, now in the National Museum, he brought to 

 England. He found the situations of these runs or 

 bowers to be much varied. Sometimes he discovered 

 them on the plains studded with Myalls (Acacia "pen- 

 dula), and sometimes in the brushes with which the 

 lower hills were clothed. He describes them as consi- 

 derably longer, and more avenue-like, than those of the 

 satin bower-bird, extending in many instances to three 

 feet in length. Outwardly they were built with twigs, 



