88 Jackson, Haunts of the Spotted Bower-Bird. [is^"oct. 



very like a last season's, in a small green cypress pine in a barren 

 and sandy place. It was placed about 12 feet up, well exposed, and 

 built on two small horizontal limbs, against the thin trunk of the 

 tree. Another old one was found close by in a green pine at a height 

 of 21 feet, and built in same position. Found another old one in green 

 pine, position same, height 22 feet. Probably these were all built 

 by same pair of birds, as they are not far from one another, and their 

 situations and trees are similar. An old bower was not far away. 

 Saw another huge nest of Wedge-tailed Eagle, with young bird calling 

 out. Found nest of Crested Pigeon containing two eggs. Passed 

 several skeletons of Emus to-day. Saw and heard a Harmonious 

 Thrush, which is rare. Numbers of Masked Wood-Swallows {Artamus 

 personatus) about. Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrikes plentiful. 



ist November. — Little rain last night. All the Lanceolate Honey- 

 eaters here use Emu feathers in the construction of their handsome 

 nests. Saw Grey Struthideas seriously sitting on old, empty nests 

 to-day ; they often give me a climb for nothing Nest and two eggs 

 of Pied Robin taken. Found old nest of Spotted Bower-Bird, placed 

 13 feet up in a green wilga (Getfera parvifiora). Took nest and pair 

 of eggs of Red-capped Robin. 



2nd November. — Found old Bower-Bird's nest placed at a height 

 of 21 feet in a budda tree a fair distance north-west of camp. I notice 

 the Crested Pigeons often build and hide their flat to saucer-shaped 

 stick nests in the green nypang vines. 



2,rd November. — Walked south-east of camp, and found another 

 new play-ground (No. 5) of the Bower-Bird. It was built under a 

 native red currant bush (Exocarpus aphylla, R. Br.), and the bird 

 was hunted from it. Walls constructed, as usual, of dry stems of 

 the blue-grass (Andropogon sericeus, R Br.) Decorations — glass, 

 small bones, green seed-cones from cypress pines, fresh green twifrs 

 of salt-bush (Enchylcsna tomentosa, R. Br.), small piece of folded 

 newspaper {Sydney Morning Herald), green nypang pod, galvanized 

 roofing screw, few small stones, &c. About this bower and on a log 

 beside it were fresh droppings from these birds, which contained 

 numerous remains of the pink berries of the boobialla trees. Saw a 

 Mistletoe-Bird (Dicceum hirundinaceum) feeding on the ripe berries of 

 a mistletoe {Loranthus linearifolfiiis. Hook.) which was growing on 

 a green budda tree. Found nests of native bees (Trigona carbon aria) 

 in coolibahs, and another old nest of Bower-Bird placed up 17 feet 

 in a dead budda. Saw flock of four Crimson-bellied Parrakeels 

 (Psephotus hcematorrhous). Another old nest of Bower-Bird in green 

 budda tree, and placed up 22 feet. Walked on until I struck the 

 boundary fence of Cambo Cambo and Goondoobluie stations At 

 this part the country opens into a big plain, with few trees. Flushed 

 an Owlet-Nightjar from a hollow, but saw no eggs. Here saw very 

 large fruit on bumble or wild orange trees (Capparis mitchelli, Lindl.), 

 some of which were 8 inches in circumference. The fruit consists of 

 a mass of seeds ; when ripe the Bower-Birds eat the soft parts ; the 

 flower is large, having four yellowish petals, with a cream-coloured 

 tassel from the centre. Fruit when ripe has a delicious aroma ; if 

 it is broken open when green it resembles a pomegranate inside, and 

 the seeds at that stage are fleshy and pink, and are embedded in a 

 hard, yellowish pulp. Noticed that one note uttered by the Corcorax 

 to-day sometimes closely resembles the guttural " Kar-r-r-r-r " which 



