Vol. XII. 

 I9I2 



] Jackson, Haunts of the Spotted Bower-Bird. 75 



breasted Plover {Zonifcr tricolor) wandering about on a piece of barren, 

 baked ground. Saw another Pscudogerygone jacksoni ; this little bird 

 renders a feeble but sweet little song. Amongst other birds noted to-day 

 were : — Rufous-breasted Thickhead {PacJtyccphala riifivcntris), Bronze- 

 Cuckoo [Chalcococcyx piagosits), Pied Robin {Petnvca picald)^ Brown Hawk 

 {Hieracidca berioora\ Kestrel {Cerchncis ccnchroides\ White-shouldered 

 Caterpillar-eater [La/aoc tricolor)^ Brown Tree-creeper {Climacteric 

 picuiii/ia), Black-throated Butcher-Bird {Cracticus fiigrig-ulnris), Bee-eater 

 {Mcrops ornatus), Blue-faced Honey-eater {Entoiny::a cyaiwtis), White- 

 plumed Honey-eater {Ptilotis pcnicillaia\ Friar-Bird or Leatherhead 

 {Tropidoi'hyncluis corniciilat7cs\ Yellow-throated Friar-Bird {Phileinon 

 citrcogularis), Spiny-cheeked Honey-eater {Acanthogcnys rufigtdaris), 

 White-shafted Fantail {Rhipidura albiscapa\ rare ; Swallow {Hiriindo 

 ncoxcna\ Little Turtle- D ove (G><'-|/JiV/V? ciauuita), Nankeen Heron {Nycticorax 

 calcdo/iicus), &c. The bell-like notes of the Crested Bell-Bird {Oreoicn 

 cristatd) are often most difficult to locate ; the sound sometimes appears as if 

 close and overhead, yet the bird is perhaps some 60 yards or more away. 

 The birds are becoming more plentiful, and four more of their old nests 

 were noticed. Came across a very old and deserted play-ground of the 

 Spotted Bower-Bird. The Grey Struthideas appear often to rebuild their 

 old mud nests, and frequently the top part may be constructed of black mud 

 and the lower portion of red. The cunnyanna tree ( Ventilago viminalis. 

 Hook.) here is remarkable ; when it grows up isolated from other trees, &c., 

 it develops into a tree growth, but if it happens to be near anything it can 

 creep on it takes the form of a vine, and climbs all over the tree it touches ; 

 it is also known as supplejack. The wilga {Gcijera parvijlorn, Lindl.), 

 myall {Acacia pe7iditla^ A. Cunn.), and cypress pine {Callitris robiistn^ R. Br.) 

 are often most graceful in shape, and afford good shelter for the birds on a 

 very hot day. The fruit of the prickly nypang vine {Capparis lasiantJia, 

 R. Br.), when ripe, turns yellow and splits ; it consists chiefly of hard, dark 

 seeds. Noticed Spiny-cheeked Honey-eaters frequently fighting with the 

 Friar-Birds, consequently some great tussles take place. Boobook 

 Owls [Ninox boobook) sometimes heard at night, but they keep more to the 

 larger trees on the Moonie River. Visited No. i bower near camp, and the 

 decorations had been greatly augmented, and included (in passage-way) 

 eight green pods of the native silk-vine, two galvanized roofing screws, three 

 galvanized dump-headed nails, three new wire nails, five pieces of tinfoil 

 paper, one bluish stone, two empty cartridge cases, two pieces green 

 glass, one clear-glass ring from neck of bottle, six seed-pods or cones of the 

 needle-wood tree {Hakea Iciicoptera, R. Br.), and a few small, fresh, glossy 

 leaves of the coolibah {Eticnlyptus bicolor, F. v. M.) Out in front of the 

 south end of passage the following were amongst the articles displayed : — 

 24 glass corks or stoppers from sauce bottles, one jam-tin lid, one 

 dump-headed nail, one piece of galvanized iron clipping, measuring 

 about 8 inches long by i wide, and tapering to a point ; 33 vertebra 

 bones from sheep, 39 smaller bones, six green seed-pods from the 

 cypress pines [Callitris robiista, R. Br.), and numerous pieces of glass. In 

 front and facing the northern end of the passage-way were displayed 

 19 sheep and Emu bones, 13 pieces of variously coloured glass, two seed- 

 pods of the needle-wood tree, and five green seed-pods of the Cypress 

 pine, &c. This bower (No. i), having been built on the site of some 

 Chinamen's old camps, enables the birds, therefore, to collect many objects 

 from the scattered litter thereabouts, and the new nails and pieces of 

 galvanized iron clippings the birds have probably collected about the new 

 house lately erected at the Cambo Cambo homestead. Saw a Bower-Bird 

 carrying a thin stick in the bush, and followed the bird till the stick was 

 placed upright in the walls of No. i bower, amongst the dead and 

 upright grass stems. The bird flew away and collected several more thin 

 twigs, and placed them neatly in position in the play-ground. It then flew 



