THE PERCHING BIRDS 



121 



/.-, 5 4; If-'. ff.-,l.'-.i;-.n, F.f.S, 



QUEENSLAND RIFLE-BIRD 



This unique Australian representative of the Birds of Paradise 

 is about the size of a pigeon. Its plumage is black 'with a purple 

 sheen , the throat is brilliant metallic emerald-green, like that of a 

 humming-bird 



brown. Later black feathers, with large white 

 spots at the tips, make their appearance among 

 the brown. These spotted feathers eventually 

 replace the brown, and the bird enters upon a 

 second quite distinct phase a black, spotted 

 with white. Gradually this gives place to a 

 plumage entirely unspotted, the feathers on the 

 breast being spear-shaped. In the adult dress 

 a wondrous variety of metallic reflections is 

 acquired green, purple, and violet. 



Associating in the autumn and winter in 

 large flocks, starlings move from place to place 

 in search of food. Sometimes the number of 

 birds in these combined flocks rises to an 

 enormous figure. One of the largest of these 

 gatherings recorded in England existed on the 

 property of the late Mr. Miles near Bristol. 

 " This locality is an evergreen plantation . . . 

 covering some acres, to which these birds repair 



fresh. The hut is circular and some 3 feet 

 in diameter, and the mossy lawn in front of 

 it nearly twice that expanse. Each hut and 

 garden are, it is believed, though not known, 

 the work of a single pair of birds, or perhaps 

 of the male only ; and it may be observed 

 that this species, as its trivial name implies, 

 is wholly inornate in plumage. Not less 

 remarkable is the more recently described 

 ' bower' of the GOLDEN BOWER-BIRD. . . . This 

 structure is said ... to be piled up almost 

 horizontally around the base of a tree to the 

 height of from 4 to 6 feet, and around it are 

 a number of hut-like fabrics, having the look 

 of a dwarfed native camp." Allied species, 

 though building no bowers, yet clear a space 

 of ground some 8 or 9 feet in diameter, on 

 which to display themselves, and ornament 

 this with little heaps of gaily tinted leaves, 

 replacing them as they fade with fresh 

 specimens. 



We pass next to the birds of the Starling 

 Family, of which the BRITISH STARLING is the 

 type. A bird so familiar needs no description 

 here ; but we may draw attention to the many 

 interesting phases of plumage this species 

 undergoes. 



The first plumage is a uniform greyish 



Photo by W. Savilli-Ktnl, F.Z.S. 



RED BIRD OF PARADISE 



Found only on the small island of Waigiou, off the north-ivest roast 

 of Neiv Guinea 



