The Bnusii Wattle-dikd.- 



-BIEDS.- 



-TlIE PoE-DinD. 



315 



and sociable in its habits, forty or fifty being sometimes 

 seen on a single tree. Its flight is short, and much 

 resembles that tf the common magpie. Its note is a 

 harsh and disagreeable scream. The nest is cup-shaped, 

 and composed of fine twigs, grass, and wool. 



THE SHORT-EAEED WATTLE-BIRD {Anlhocliccra 

 caruncniata), a nearly allied species, has been met with 

 in all the southern parts of Australia, but not in Van 

 Diemen's Laud. Its general colour is greyish-brown, 

 varied with pale grey ; the tail is wedge-shaped, but 

 eroader than in the preceding species ; underneath the 

 eye is a large white patch, and from the posterior part 

 of the lower margin of this depends a small bright red 

 appendage about half an inch long. The whole length 

 of the bird is about fourteen inches. In its habits, 

 food, and note it resembles the preceding species. 



THE BRUSH WATTLE-BIRD (Anthochwm mellivora) 

 — called Coo-jtwar-rwc/;, in imitation of its singular cry, 

 by the natives of New South Wales — is an abundant 

 and well-known species, not only in that colony, but 

 also in South Australia and Van Diemen's Land. It 



is a smaller species than either of the preceding, mea- 

 suring only about a foot in length ; its general colour 

 is dark brown, variously streaked and spotted with 

 white. Both sexes are destitute of the curious wrttlcs 

 with which the f)receding species are adorned. The 

 Brush Wattle-bird is peculiarly attached to the Bank- 

 slas, the flowers of whicli it explores as they open, in 

 search of honey and insects. Mr. Gould remarks that 

 as tliese trees are always indicative of barren land, tlie 

 harsh note of this garrulous bird may generally be taken 

 by the settler as a warning that the soil in the neigh- 

 bourhood is not very fertile. It is a bold, animated, 

 and pugnacious bird. The nest is rather small, placed 

 upon a forked branch not far from the ground, ai:i.l 

 composed of fine twigs and fibres. The eggs are of a 

 salmon colour, blotched with chestimt-brown, especiallv 

 at the larger end ; the nest usually contains two, son-up- 

 times three of tliein. This species is represented in 

 Western Australia by the Lunulated Wattle-bh!1i 

 {Anlliochiirii binuluta). 



THE POE-BIRD {Proslhcmadcra Nova: Zdandia) — 



The Poe-bird (Prosthemadera Nuvae ZelandiaeJ. 



fig. 107 — one of tlie most abundant birds of New 

 Zealand, is about the .size of a thnish, and of a black 

 colour, with a curious tuft of while feathers on each 

 side of the neck, whence the name of the " Parson 

 bird" has been given to it by the European settlers. 

 Its native name is Tut. It possesses a wonderful 

 talent for imitation, exactly mimicking the notes of all 

 the other feathered inhabitants of the woods ; hence 

 it is some times called the Mocking Bird. In con- 

 finement it will also learn to imitate other sounds, such 

 as the noises of dogs, cats, poultry, &c., and will soon 

 speak long sentences with great correctness. The food 

 of this bird consists principally of insects, in search of 

 which it exhibits an incessant restless activity ; it also 



feeds upon berries and earthworms. Its flesh is con- 

 sidered delicious. 



THE PRIAE-BIED {Tropidorhynchur. ^ormculaius). 

 The singular bird to which this name is given, has the 

 head covered with a naked black skin, and the base 

 of the bill adorned with a remarkable knob ; the 

 plumage of the upper suiface is greyish-brown; 

 that of the lower surface greyish, except the chin, 

 throat, and chest, which are covered with lanceolate 

 silver-white feathers. The length of the bird is 

 about a foot. It is an exceedingly abundant and 

 well-known bird in New South ^Vales, where its 

 singular appearance, and no less singular notes, have 

 obtained for it from the colonists a great variety of 



