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Mr. Reginald Phillipps,



Wood says—“It cares little for trees or bushes, and

seldom is known to perch upon the branches.” Campbell tells

lls —<< i have seen it perched on thick limbs of trees about forty

feet from the ground.” Gould, I am told, figures the female on

a low perch. The latter I feel must be an error. I never saw

my bird perch in any bush or on a low perch. During the day it

usually kept strictly^ to the ground; but when, ditring the day, it

did mount to a perch, it invariably went up to the highest perch

in the aviary, nearly nine feet above the ground, being very fond

of some long poles, along which it would run with considerable

fleetness, or walk as on the ground. After close watching, I

formed the opinion that it sought these high perches in order to

get more sun. If it chanced to be in a tree, it would instantly

crouch and become motionless on the approach of any one. It

is quite in keeping with what I saw of my bird that it should fly

on to “ thick limbs of trees about forty feet from the ground.”

I venture to lay stress on the word “ thick.”


My bird never roosted on the ground but invariably on a

high perch, whether in cage, birdroom, or garden. It went to

roost early, and seemed to select a thick limb just where it

branched from the trunk ; it slept in a crouching attitude,

usually with the tail level with or above the level of the bod}?-;

in a large tree, on a thick bough and close to or actually pressing

against the trunk, it would be practically invisible.


It seemed to be utterly defenceless, and never attempted

to defend itself from the other birds, of which it was much

afraid. Concealment seemed to be its one idea, deeply rooted

in every fibre of its nature, the posture being almost always that

which I have already described. It did not actually squat after

the manner of Snipe, Quail, &c. ; these sit low with legs ready

to spring into the air and seek safety in flight. Such a position

would not suit the Ground-bird, who holds itself ready to display

a?id run. Stooping low, head and forepart low, the hind-end a

little up, it remains so still that often birds would go close up

without appearing to notice it. Ret me here quote from some

notes written while the bird was still alive:—“ When the bird,

crouching in the thickest shelter or most shady shadowy spot

he has been able to run to on the appearance of an enemy



