OF VICTORIA. 225 



coloured berries, pieces of broken glass, white bones, and 

 whatever bright objects they can find upon the way. 

 Through these decorated runs, which are well hidden 

 generally, they walk backwards and forwards, playing and 

 gambolling as it pleases them. My correspondent at Heytes- 

 bury has a tame male bird which he considers a weather 

 prophet. Mr. Graham says: — '-Twenty-four hours prior to 

 rain or a change ' Jack ' shows an agitation that is painful 

 to look at. When clearing for fine weather, and about as 

 quickly as the barometer gives the information, lie is all 

 serene. ' Jack ' is fond of small and large grubs, for, 

 when I let him out some three months ago, my garden was 

 badly infested with white slugs. The slimy pest soon 

 disappeared. Jack introduced a friend of his kind to the 

 garden, but it had bad manners, because, no sooner had it 

 arrived when it must start mischief among the fruit buds." 

 From this I gather that Bower-birds in a garden are 

 useful if a wing of each is cut. 



The Greek word, meaning " feathered bill," refers to the 

 nostrils being feathered, while the nostrils of the following 

 species are bare. The woodcuts show the difference. 



Nest. — Open, and placed in a gum sapling or other tree ; 

 made of twigs and lined with finer twigs, kc. 



Kggs. — Two to a sitting ; long ovals ; rich cream, spotted 

 or blotched and dotted with sienna-brown. Length, 1*75 

 inches; breadth, 1'15 inches (A. J. North). 



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