THE REGENT BIRD. 



53 



near the mouth of the River Hunter, I shot several, and observed it to be numerous on the 

 neighbouring islands, particularly Baker's Island, where there is a fine garden, and where it 

 commits serious injury to the fruit crops. Although I have spoken of this bird as abundant in the 

 various localities referred to, I must mention that at least fifty out of colour may be observed to one 

 fully plumaged male, which, when adorned in its gorgeous livery of golden-yellow and deep velvety- 

 black, exhibits an extreme shyness -of disposition, as if conscious that its beauty, rendering it a con- 

 spicuous object, might lead to its destruction. It is usually therefore very quiet in its actions, and 

 mostly resorts to the topmost branches of the trees ; but when two gay-coloured males meet, conflicts 

 frequently take place. To obtain specimens in their full dress considerable caution is necessary; on the 



SATIN BOWER BIRD. 



other hand, females and immature males are very tame, and, when feeding among the foliage, appear to 

 be so intent upon their occupation as not to heed the approach of an intruder ; and I have occasionally 

 stood beneath a low tree, not more than fifteen feet high, with at least ten feeding voraciously above 

 me. I did not succeed in discovering the nest ; but the late F. Strange, writing from Moreton Bay, 

 informed me that it is rudely constructed of sticks, no other material being employed, not even a few 

 roots as a lining. On the 4th of November I observed one building, and as I was leaving for 

 Richmond the next day, I gave instructions that it should be taken fifteen days after ; when the time 

 arrived, however, no native could be got to secure it, and it remained till my return on the 4th of 

 December. I then sent a native up, and he brought me the nest, with two young ones covered with 

 down, except the wings, which were feathered. As the two birds quite filled the nest, and I have 

 heard of other nests being taken with the same number of birds in them, I am inclined to believe that 

 two is the normal number of eggs laid. After taking the young, I wounded and succeeded in capturing 

 the old bird, which, after being two days in confinement, became reconciled to captivity, attended to 

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