284 



BACKBONED ANIMALS. 



The eggs, from four to six, are pale green, with dark spots 

 or streaks. The young are fully fledged in three weeks. 



Allied is the bobolink 

 {Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 

 (Fig. 312), or reed-bird of 

 the Southern States, so 

 famous for its rich notes. 

 Allied to this family 

 are the several Australian 

 bower - birds, remarkable 

 for erecting play-houses 

 (Fig. 313) distinct from 

 the nest. 



FIG. 313. Bower-bird, showing the NOTE. In the satin bower- 



bower and the ornaments collected. bird the bower or play-house is 



the work of the male or males, 



and formed on the ground. The sides are made of twigs and small 

 branches, planted by the birds iri the ground, joined at the top and 

 forming a tunnel, on the floor of which is placed bird bric-a-brac 

 highly-colored shells, pebbles, white bones, parrot-feathers, and glit- 

 tering objects of ail kinds. Here the male and female dance about, 

 changing the ornaments, and showing their delight in various ways. 

 It is, in fact, a bird ball-room. The nest is generally placed in the 

 near vicinity. 



The Gardener-Bird * (Amblyornis inornata) is about 

 the size of the robin, of a rufous-brown hue, and is only 

 found on the Island of Papua. 



* Instead of a bower, it erects a complete cabin (Fig. 314), and 

 plants a garden about it. A small tree is selected, and one foot and 

 a half from the ground a cone of moss is fastened to form a support 

 for the roof, the latter being built of slender branches of an orchid se- 

 lected for its vitality, the twigs resting against the moss, the other ends 

 entering the ground one foot and a half from the center-post, and ar- 

 ranged about until a perfect roof is the result, an opening on one side 

 being left as a door, as shown in Fig. 314. The roof is thatched and 

 interwoven with other pieces until weather-tight, the orchids continu- 

 ing their growth and forming a perfect roof. About the entrance or 



