60 GUIDE TO THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



of clearing a space of ground in the scrub, and ornamenting 

 it with gaily tinted leaves, flowers and bright berries. The 

 Regent Bird (Set'iadus melinus) is also shown with its bower. A 

 very good idea of the breeding places of the Rock Warbler 

 ( Origma ruhvicata) is given, a group of these birds being set up 

 with their long pensile nests attached to an overhanging rock. 

 Close by is a group of Noisy Pittas {Pitta strepitans) showing 

 their manner of obtaining food by breaking shells against a stone, 

 in time accumulating thereby a large heap of broken shells. On 

 the right hand side of this bay we come to the largest family 

 of birds in Australia — the MelipJiagidce or Honey-eaters ; these 

 birds procure their food from various native flowers, principally 

 the Eucalyyti, their brush- like tongue being well suited for the 

 purpose ; the family consists of many genera, the principal of 

 which are Jlelioniis, Ghjciphila, Ptilotis, Philemon, Myzomela, 

 JUelithreptus, and Myzantha, the different species of which are 

 well re[)resented in the collection. 



Order COLUMB^. Crossing to the eastern side of the 

 northern wing, we And in Bay No. 5 the order Columbae or 

 Pigeons, many of which are of bright colours, especially the 

 Ptilinopi or Fruit-eating Pigeons. The Bronze-wing (Phaps 

 chalcoptera), the Wonga Wonga (Leucosarcia 2^i'Cata)j and the 

 Partridge Bronze-wing (Geophaps scripta), are worthy of notice, 

 and many of them are esteemed great delicacies for the table. 



Order GALLIN-^iE. At the bottom of the case in Bay 

 No. 5 are several families representing the order Gallinae the 

 principal of which are the Perdicidce or Quails; these birds 

 aflbrd good sport in the season, and are much sought after, 

 especially the Stubble Quail {Coturnix ijectorcdis), and the 

 Varied Turnix or Painted Quail [Turnix varius), two of tlie 

 largest species of tlie family in New South Wales. The 

 Collared Plain-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus)'^ a most inter- 

 esting form and peculiar to Australia is also represented. 

 At the top of the floor case of this Bay are the Mound-raisers, 

 a group of birds which deposit their eggs in large mounds of 



* There is some doubt to which order this bird belongs, some orni- 

 thologists preferring to place it among the Grallatores. 



