2l6 Whitlock, On the East Murchisov. [isf April 



spreading tree, with the branches traiUng on the ground. The tree 

 was a mulga in this instance. The country was more open, and there 

 was no convenient cover near enough to watch this party, which I 

 feel sure was quite distinct from that at the acacias. The archway 

 and surroundings were very perfect, and looked newer, and rather less 

 massive, than those at the clay-pan. In addition to the flat flakes of 

 limestone, pieces of bone had been here added to the collection. Old 

 sandal-wood nuts were numerous on the outside of the run, and the 

 green ones were evidently thrown out from the inverted arch when 

 they became discoloured. At the clay-pan I managed by crawling 

 under the big casuarina to photograph the bower, with the male and 

 female perched close at hand, using the camera with the legs un- 

 cxtended. The subject was an awkward one from a pictorial point of 

 view, as I could only get a view of the archway by focussing between 

 two thick trunks. I feared to go to the other side of the tree, and 

 haul away, even pro tern., the obstructing branches. The birds must 

 not be disturbed at any cost, a photograph being a secondary con- 

 sideration to the nest and eggs. The dimensions of this playground 

 were 7 feet in length by 5 feet in width. The foundation was a mass 

 of innumerable twigs of about one-eighth to a quarter of an inch in 

 diameter and about 9 iAches in length on the average. This raised 

 the foundation of the inverted arch some 6 or 8 inches above the 

 ground. The walls of the latter measured 18 inches to the tip of the 

 highest twig, but the general height was an inch or two less. The 

 average thickness of the walls was about 6 inches, and the length of 

 the run 25 inches. In the run were thirteen flakes of limestone of 

 about a square inch in .size, also about a dozen small green seed-pods, 

 with a few mulga b.eans. There w-ere no feathers or shells. 



On 14th October I visited the clay-pan again, and had a big try for 

 the nest or signs of building. I came across a pair of the birds a short 

 distance away. One of the pair flew from a large mulga. I examined 

 this bush carefully. There was unmistakably the commencement of a 

 nest in the upper branches. I watched for some time, and both birds^ 

 came back again. One fact caused me some uneasiness at this visit — 

 the water in the clay-pan had nearly disappeared, and I knew of no 

 other supply within several miles distance. The third play-ground 

 was very similar to the one described in the foregoing, but it appeared 

 to be newer, and the walls were less massive. The twigs used in the 

 construction of the walls were long and very supple. Many showed a 

 diagonal cut, and had no doubt been nipped off by the beak of the 

 bird. The source of supply was a low, dense bush, which appeared to 

 be all twigs and no leaves ; the wood is very elastic, like a willow, and 

 in the green state fairly soft. Close at hand, by the wreck of another 

 large mulga tree, were the remains of an old play-ground, but the 

 inverted arch had quite disappeai-ed. All that remained was the mass 

 of small twigs comprising the foundation. I constantly visited this 

 play-ground, also the haunt at the acacias, sometimes finding no birds 

 present, but usually some were near at hand. In my search for nests 

 I occasionally came across Bower-Birds, and soon got to recognize 

 them by their flight, which is direct, very undulatory, and never at 

 any height above the scrub. When they seek cover they appear to 

 pitch headlong down — to make a dive, in fact. On the wing they 

 have the outline of an Oreoica (Bell-Bird), but their flight is much 

 quieter, and with no whirring of wings whatever. Their tail looks 

 much shorter in flight than thai of a Slirike-Thrush, and their 



