iSirli^lore 



Vol. II 



A BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE 



DEVOTED TO THE STUDY AND PROTECTION OF BIRDS 



Official Organ of the Audubon Societies 



October, 1900 



No. 5 



The Bower-birds of Australia 



BY A. J. CAMPBELL, Melbourne 



Author of " Xests and E^.s^'s of Australian Birds" 

 With photoijraphs from nature 



^HE bower-building birds, with their cultivated tastes for 

 architecture, are amongst the most interesting and beau- 

 tiful of Australian birds, while some of their eggs are 

 most remarkable in appearance. There are ten or 

 eleven species, medium-sized birds — about twelve inches 

 Tmore or less, according to the species) in length — compactly built 

 and shapely. Their food is wild berries and fruits of various kinds. 

 Occasionally they are not averse to the cultivated article, therefore 

 the birds are not altogether in favor with orchardists. 



The Satin-bird {Ptilonorhynclius violaccus') — the male especial! v 

 beautiful for his lustrous, satin-like, blue-black coat and lovely violet 

 eyes — dwells in the forests — more particularly the coastal — of eastern 

 Australia. The females wear a grayish-greenish mottled dress, as do 

 the young males, but differ in having the under surface a more yellow- 

 ish tone. The males do not don their shining blue-black coat until 

 the third or fourth year, some observers say the seventh year. 



Satin-birds thrive in captivity. They are not excellent whistlers^ 

 but readily learn to articulate words and imitate familiar domestic 

 sounds, such as the mewing of a cat, etc. 



It is somewhat remarkable that notwithstanding these birds are 

 plentiful in parts, their eggs are rare in collections — the eggs of all 

 Bower-birds are rare — in fact, the eggs of two species have not yet 

 been discovered. 



The eggs (usually two, occasionally three) of the Satin-bird are 

 of a rich cream color blotched irregularly with brown, and measure 

 nearly i3^ inches in length. The nest, which is usually situated 



