142 Wonders of the Bird World 



leaving an aperture for the entrance ; thus is obtained a 

 conical and very regular hut. When the work is complete 

 many other branches are placed transversely in various ways, 

 so as to make the whole quite firm and impermeable to wet. 

 A circular gallery is left between the walls and the central 

 cone, the whole bower being about three feet in diameter. 

 All the stems used by the Ambylornis are the thin stems of 

 an orchid {Dendrobiuni), an epiphyte forming large tufts on 

 the mossy branches of great trees, easily bent like straw, 

 and generally about twenty inches long. The stalks had 

 the leaves, which are small and straight, still fresh and 

 living on them, which leads me to the conclusion that this 

 plant was selected by the bird to prevent rotting and mould 

 in the building, since it keeps alive for a long time, as is so 

 often the case with epiphytical orchids. 



" The refined sense of the bird is not satisfied with 

 building a hut. It is wonderful to find that it has the same 

 ideas as a man ; that is to say, that what pleases the one 

 gratifies the other. The passion for flowers and gardens is 

 a sign of good taste and refinement. I discovered, how- 

 ever, that the inhabitants of Mount Arfak did not follow the 

 example of the Amblyomis, for their houses were quite 

 inaccessible from dirt. 



" The Garden. — Now let me describe the garden of the 

 Ambylornis. Before the cottage there is a meadow of moss ; 

 this is brought to the spot and kept free from grass, stones, 

 or anything which would offend the eye. On this green 

 turf flowers and fruit of bright colours are placed so as to 

 form a pretty little garden. The greater part of the 

 decoration is collected round the entrance to the arbour ; 

 and it would appear that the husband offers there his daily 

 gifts to his wife. The objects are very various, but always 

 of a vivid colour. There were some fruits of a Garcinia, 

 like a small-sized apple ; others were the fruits of Gardenias 

 of a deep yellow colour in the interior. I saw also small 



