BOWER-BIRDS 379 



twigs, and beautifully lined with tall grasses, so disposed that 

 their heads nearly meet ; the decorations are very profuse, and 

 c;onsist of bivalve shells, crania of small mammalia, and other 

 birds. Evident and beautiful indications of design are manifest 

 throughout the whole of the bower and decorations formed by this 

 species, particularly in the manner in which the stones are placed 

 within the bower, apparently to keep the grasses with which it 

 is lined fixed firmly in their places. These stones diverge from 

 the mouth of the run on each side, so as to form a little path, 

 while the immense collection of decorative materials, bones, shells, 

 &c., are placed in a heap before the entrance of the avenue, this 

 arrangement being the same at both ends. I frequently found 

 these St uctures at a considerable distance from the rivers, from 

 the borders of which they alone could have procured the shells 

 and small round pebbly stones; their collection and transportation 

 must, therefore, be a task of great labour and difficulty. As 

 these birds feed almost entirely upon seeds and fruits, the shells 

 and bones cannot have been collected for any other purpose than 

 ornament ; besides, it is only those that have been bleached per- 

 fectly white in the sun, or such as have been roasted by the 

 natives, and by this means whitened, that attract their atten- 

 tion." 



For what purpose these curious bowers are made is not yet, 

 perhaps, fully understood ; they are certainly not used as a nest, 

 but as a place of resort, where the assembled birds run through 

 and about the bower in a playful manner, and that so frequently 

 that it is seldom entirely deserted. The proceedings of these birds 

 have not been sufficiently watched to render it certain whether 

 the runs are frequented throughout the whole year or not, but it 

 is highly probable that they are merely resorted to as a rendezvous 

 or playing ground at the pairing time, and during the period of 

 incubation. 



Three satin bower-birds, thus called from their deep shining 

 blue-black plumage, were brought to the Zoological Grardens in 

 1849. Immediately upon their arriving, they commenced the 

 construction of one of their bowers or " runs," for which purpose 

 they made use of the twigs of an old besom, bending them into 

 a shape like the ribs of a man of war, the top being open and 

 the length varying from six to twelve inches. Against the sides 

 they placed bright feathers, or whatever else containing colour 



