The Bower-birds 



HS 



leaving a clear space beneath for the bird to pass through 

 in his gambols. The basin has two entrances leading into 

 it. They are four or five inches apart, and are formed by 

 a depression or gap in the outer rim. The bower is placed 

 immediately to the right of the entrances, and opposite to 

 the latter, on the highest part of the raised rim of the 

 basin, is collected a quantity of black sticks (four inches 

 or so in length), black beans, and the black wing-coverings 

 of large Coleoptera. Black is evidently the most attractive 

 colour to this bird." 



It will have been noticed that a thorough gradation in 

 style of architecture is afforded by the Bower-birds, from 

 the simpler structures of the Satin-bird, whose favourite 

 decorations are bleached bones and shells, with only an 

 occasional bright Parrot's feather, to the more carefully 

 built arbours of the Spotted Bower-birds (Chlamydodera), 

 and thence to the elaborate playing-grounds of the 

 Gardener-birds, with their tent-like huts, their meadows 

 and floral decorations. I believe that many of the 

 Paradiseida, such as the Golden Birds of Paradise (Xantho- 

 melus], the Superb Birds of Paradise (Lophorhina), and 

 the Six-plumed Birds of Paradise (Parotia) will ultimately 

 be found to make bovvers, and have regular playing- 

 grounds. 



