^"'igi^' ] Jackson, Notes on Tooth-billed Bower-Bird of N.Q. 83 



but hardly ever within the play-ground itself, for the bird 

 has a great idea of tidiness, and usually keeps his little 

 parlour scrupulously clear of litter. I think the conclusion is 

 fair that these seeds are cast or vomited when the red skin has 

 been digested, rather than passed in the excreta, as they were very 

 clean and unmixed with stain or debris, though one must remember 

 that if they were passed the heavy rains might have washed them 

 clean ; still, in this case I favour the theory of the vomit or 

 cast common to many birds with the hard portions of their food, 

 rather than the passing as excrement. Parallels between the 

 habits of bird and beast are of great interest and value when 

 engaged in their study, and a very instructive parallel in this 

 connection is available in the case of the White Nutmeg-Pigeon 

 (Myristicivora spilorrhoa) of the North Queensland coast, which 

 feeds on the wild nutmegs {Myristica insipida), and then ejects 

 them after the red mace-flavoured outer skin has been digested 

 {vide Emu, June, igog, p. 244). In the crops of the two Tooth- 

 bills shot for dissection a number of these black seeds, together 

 with the remains of beetles, &c., were found. In one particular 

 locality — a scrub-covered hill across the Barron River, and not 

 far from our camp — in the numerous play-grounds located in the 

 earlier part of November, 1908, I found the black seeds littering 

 the ground under the "singing-sticks" in great numbers, and in 

 company with Mr. Frizelle I examined over twenty of the actual 

 play-grounds in that locality, with the result that we found them, 

 as in other cases, remarkably clear of the seeds, which were only 

 to be found under the " singing- sticks." 



Insect Food. — As seen by his predilection for snails, the Tooth- 

 bill is not a vegetarian, and he adds variety to his menu by some- 

 thing more than an occasional entree of beetles. In contributing 

 the facts which go to make up the life-story of any bird or beast, 

 the investigator has necessarily to be minutely careful if he wishes 

 to be faithful to his task, and its food is a factor which has no 

 small influence in localization, anatomical structure, and general 

 characteristics. Hence, to close observation of the actual feeding 

 habits and haunts of the Tooth-bill I added careful investigation 

 of the crop and excreta. The first two specimens of excreta 

 obtained from the first young bird I had at my camp I preserved 

 carefully for examination as valuable indications in this direction. 

 It was not until lately that I had the necessary leisure for ailalytical 

 examination, but therefrom I have made it clear that many 

 forms of Coleoptera, some of which must have run to an inch and 

 a half in length, helped to make up the dainty fare of the bird ; 

 of this fact the size of the remaining portions of the thoraces of the 

 beetles give the best indication. It must in this connection be 

 remembered that, as the bird was a nestling, its food had been 

 given to it in broken and macerated form ; still, in addition to 

 the very small seeds of the large parasitical fig-trees {Fiats, sp., 

 vide special Emu, June, 1909, Plate XXXVI.), there were present 

 portions of elytra, thoraces, antenna, legs, wings, &c., of various 



