Popular SJuttonarj? of gmmatefc $aturc. 533 



soundly 



i the dead branch of a tree that it is almost 

 j impossible to arouse it ; and Mr. Gould re- 

 marks that he has frequently shot one with- 

 l out disturbing the mate close by. It does 

 i not appear to take its prey on the wing, but 

 creeps about the trees in search of it. It 

 has the power of shifting the outer toe back- 

 wards ; and the wing is short and concave. 

 i The nest is flat, carelessly interwoven, and 

 } placed in the fork of a branch. The female 

 generally lays two eggs, which are white, 

 i and the male assists in incubation. 



Another species, the PODARGUS CUVIERI, 

 which is readily distinguished from the pre- 

 j ceding by the bill being much less robust, 

 and the bird itself smaller in size and alto- 

 gether more slender, is almost exclusively 

 ; found in Van Diemen's Land. Like the 

 other members of the genus, it feeds princi- 

 pally upon coleopterous and other insects, 

 and is nocturnal in its habits. It displays 

 considerable alertness in the capture of its 

 food ; but never flies by day, its whole 

 diurnal existence being passed in a sitting 

 posture across a dead branch, perfectly mo- 

 tionless ; and it is not easily to be roused, 

 so as to take wing, either by the discharge 

 of a gun or any other noise. " Like the 

 owl," says Mr. Gould, "it is considered by 

 some a bird of ill omen, principally from the 

 extraordinary sound of its hoarse, unearthly 

 cry, which resembles the words more-pork 

 ; (the name given to it by the colonists) ; it 

 i not only approaches the immediate vicinity 

 ' of the houses, but emits this sound while 

 perched in their verandahs and on the 

 buildings themselves ; and it is often to 

 be seen perched on the tombstones of the 

 churchyard." Considerable variation ap- 

 pears to occur in the colour of the plumage ; 

 the prevailing tints in some being a dull ashy 

 gray, while in others they are a rich chest- 

 ! nut-brown ; but altogether it may be cha- 

 racterized as striped and minutely freckled 

 | with grayish white and dark brown. The 

 i nest is rather neatly formed and flat ; and 

 the female lays two white eggs. 



PODURA. The Podurae are small insects 

 which, in general, are found in damp places, 



i under stones, on the bark of trees, &c. 

 When disturbed, they suddenly spring to a 

 small distance by the help of a long forked 



; process, or tail, which is bent forwards be- 

 neath the abdomen \ and it is by the sudden 

 extension of it that the leap is produced. 

 Hence these insects are commonly known 

 under the name of Spring-tails. One of the 

 most common of this genus is the Podura 

 aquatica of Linnaeus, a minute black insect 

 occasionally seen in vast numbers, particu- 

 larly near the brinks of ponds, and some- 

 times even on the surface of the water itself. 



POE-BIRD. (Prosthemadera cincinna- 

 ta.) This elegant species of the family of 

 the Honey-eaters is about the size of a 

 blackbird, and is a native of New Zealand, 

 and of some of the scattered islands in 

 the South Sea. The general colour is a 

 glossy greenish black, with strong varying 

 glosses of green accompanying the general 

 plumage of the back and wings ; the rump a 



rich deep blue ; and the larger wing-coverts 

 white, forming a bar of white across the 

 wings. The feathers of the neck are of a 

 loose silky texture, rather long, and curving 

 slightly upwards at the tips ; but the prin- 

 cipal mark of distinction in this elegant 

 bird is a moderately large and lengthened 

 pendent tuft of broad white feathers curving 

 upwards at the tips, and situated on each 

 side the neck : the bill is black and slightly 

 curved ; and the legs are black. This bird 

 is greatly valued by the natives of the 

 Southern islands ; its glossy plumage often 

 contributing to the ornaments of the fea- 

 thered mantles worn by their chiefs. As a 

 song-bird also it has considerable merit ; 

 and it is said that as a delicious food it is 

 one of the greatest luxuries aiibrded by the 

 woods of New Zealand. 



[For further interesting particulars from i 

 the pages of the Rev. Mr. Yale, an accurate | 

 observer, who resided long hi New Zealand, ; 

 see PROSTHEMADERA.] 



POEPIIAGOMYS. A genus of Rodent ' 

 animals found in South America. They 

 have narrow incisors ; the auditory couch 



small, but distinct ; and claws adapted for 

 burrowing. The only well-ascertained spe- 

 cies is I'hoephcKjoinijs ater, which is a native 

 of Chili. It has also been described under 

 the name SPALACOPUS. 



POEPHILA. A genus of Passerine 

 Birds, belonging to the Finch family, and 

 deriving their name from their fondness 

 for grass-seeds, on which they feed. We 

 may specify, from Mr. Gould's Birds of Aus- 

 tralia, 



The POEPHILA LEUCOTIS, or WHITE- 

 EARED GRASS FINCH. It is a native of 

 Australia, and has a band crossing the fore- 

 head, lores, throat, and a large patch on 

 each flank, deep velvety black : ear-coverts, 

 a narrow line beneath the black of the 

 throat, and a space surrounding the black 

 patch on the flanks, white ; crown of the 

 head deep reddish chestnut ; all the upj>er 

 surface and wings deep cinnamon-brown ; 

 chest and abdomen pale vinous brown ; upper 

 and under tail-coverts white, the former 

 margined externally with deep black ; tail 

 black ; irides dark brown ; feet red ; bill yel- 

 lowish horn-colour. Like the other members 

 of the gends, it inhabits the open spots of 

 country, and feeds on grass-seeds. 



POINTER. (Cants familiaris avicularis.) 

 The Pointers are a breed of valuable sporting 

 dogs. They are used in finding feathered 

 game of various sorts, partridges, pheasants, 

 &c. When they scent their game, they sud- 

 denly stop, and remain motionless as a statue, 



