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Official Organ of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 



Birds of 2^ fezvther.' 



Vol. XII.] 1ST OCTOBER, 191 2. [Part 2. 



Haunts of the Spotted Bower-Bird (Chlamydodera 

 maculata, Gld.) 



By Sidney Wm. Jackson, R.A.O.U., Chatswood, New South 



Wales. 



The ornithological research trip, of which the following pages 

 furnish a record, was undertaken on behalf of Mr. Henry L. 

 White, of Belltrees, Scone, New South Wales, and had for its 

 object the collecting of the nests and eggs of the Spotted Bower- 

 Bird {Chlamydodera ptaculata) and of other species, and the study 

 in general of the habits and nidilication of the birds. I left 

 Sydney on the 14th September, 1911, taking train to Collarenebri, 

 from which point a further drive of 50 miles over very dry 

 country brought me to Cambo Cambo station, where my camp 

 was pitched shortly afterwards. This station lies on the west 

 bank of the Moonie River, in New South Wales, but within a few 

 miles of the Queensland border fence ; my camp, therefore, was 

 located about 500 miles north-west of Sydney. Cambo Cambo 

 is the property of Mr. J. H. Doyle, who had very kindly given 

 Mr. White permission for me to camp and carry on my work on 

 his property. His kindness, however, did not stop at giving 

 permission, as both from himself and from Mr. Bruce Doyle and 

 Mr. Melville Doyle every kindness and help was rendered. 



The camp was situated about 3 miles from the station home- 

 stead, and, unfortunately, the locahty was in the grip of an 

 unusually dry and hot season — in fact, several of the old residents 

 stated that it was the most severe season experienced there for 

 a number of years ; consequently, my prospects for success could 

 hardly be regarded as encouraging. Grass and water were scarce, 

 the graziers in the locality were more or less suffering loss, and 

 things were, in general, getting into a deplorable state. The local 

 station managers informed me that in a good season the whole 

 face of the country was transformed — everything green and 

 beautiful, and the grass waving knee-deep for miles upon miles, 

 like one inexhaustible wheat-field. Water, too, under these con- 

 ditions was more plentiful, and, as would be only natural during 

 a good season, there would be a much better supply of food for 

 the different birds, especially the Spotted Bower-Birds, which 

 mostly live on the various berries and other native fruits, though 



