THE SEXUAL SELECTION THEORY 159 



C nuchalis) are quite dull-coloured species save 

 for a vivid semicircular crest of pink and mauve 

 feathers which arise from the nape of the neck. Their 

 bowers differ from those just described in having a longer 

 run and for the immense quantities of shells which are 

 deposited at each end of the run. Some of them are 

 brought from long distances, as is shown by the large 

 number of sea shells which are to be found in the 

 collections made by birds living far from the sea. 



By far the most remarkable of all are the bowers of 

 Newton's Bower-bird (Prionodura newtont) and the 

 Gardener Bower-bird {Amblyornis inornata). The first of 

 these, a native of the Mountains of Queensland, is some- 

 what strikingly coloured, at any rate so far as the male 

 is concerned, for he is of an oil green above and has a 

 small yellow crest, while his breast is of a bright yellow ; 

 the female, on the other hand, is brown above and grey 

 below. 



The Gardener Bower-bird, on the other hand, is of a 

 sombre olive-brown, but the male boasts an enormous 

 crest of a flaming orange yellow. Yet, widely dissimilar 

 as are these two species, in the matter of their bowers 

 they display much in common. 



That of the Gardener Bower-bird takes the form of a 

 hut-like structure of twigs, arranged around a central 

 support, commonly a very young sapling. As a rule the 

 thin stems of an orchid {Dendrobiuni) are used in the 

 construction of this curious hut, whose diameter is about 

 three feet. Before the entrance is a carpet of moss, 

 which is kept clear of leaves or debris of any sort, and 

 on this the most vividly coloured fruit, seed-pods, fungi, 

 and flowers are laid, being constantly replaced as they 

 wither. Newton's Bower-bird, in like manner, forms 



