THE BOWER BIRD. 203 



had attracted me. Soon, it was evident that this was a Bower 

 Bird engaged in building the assembly-room, and after a little 

 while he became reconciled to my presence, and proceeded 

 with his work. He went about it in a leisurely and reflective 

 manner, taking plenty of time over his work, and disdaining to 

 hurry himself 



First he would go off to the further end of the compartment, 

 and there inspect a quantity of twigs which had been put there 

 for his use. After contemplating them for some time, he would 

 take up a twig and then drop it as if it were too hot to hold. 

 Perhaps he would repeat tliis process six or seven times with 

 the same twig, and then suddenly pounce on anotlier, weigh it 

 once or twice in his beak, and carry it off". When he reached 

 the bower he still kei)t up his leisurely character, for he would 

 perambulate the floor for some minutes, with the twig still in 

 his beak, and then perhaps would lay it down, turn in another 

 direction, and look as if he had forgotten about it. Sooner or 

 later, however, the twig was fixed, and then he would run 

 through the bower several times, utter his loud cry, and start 

 ofl" for another twig. 



Ornament is also employed by the Bower Bird, both entrances 

 of the bower being decorated with bright and shining objects. 

 The bird is not in the least fastidious about the articles with 

 which it decorates its bower, provided only that they shine and 

 are conspicuous. Scraps of coloured ribbon, shells, bits of 

 paper, teeth, bones, broken glass and china, feathers, and similar 

 articles, are in great request, and such objects as a lady's thimble, 

 a tobacco-pipe, and a tomahawk have been found near one of 

 their bowers. Indeed, whenever the natives lose any small and 

 tolerably portable object, they always search the bowers of the 

 neighbourhood, and frequently find that the missing article is 

 doing duty as decoration to the edifice. 



This species is more plentiful than another Bower Bird which 

 will presently be described. As is the case with many birds, the 

 adult male is very different from the young male and the female 

 in his colouring. His plumage is a rich, deep purple, so deep 

 indeed as to appear black when the bird is standing in the 



