PTILONOEHYNCHUS. 175 



Family SCENOPIID^. 



Genus PTILONORHYNOHUS, KuM. 



PTILONOEHYNCHUS VIOLACEUS, VieiUot. 

 (P. holosericeus, Kuhl.) 

 Satin Bower -bird. 

 Gould, Handhk. Bds. Aust., Vol. i., sp. 276, p. 442. JZZT, ^. 



"The eggs of the Satin Bower-bird are slightly larger than those 

 of the Spotted Bower-bird, more strongly marked if anything, 

 have the same thin delicate shell and elongated form ; in length 

 they average 1-6 inch, in breadth l-l inch, are of a light rich 

 cream-colour, and are marbled all over, more closer at the thicker 

 end, with short wavy irregular lines of deep olive-brown, umber, 

 and sienna. These markings are peculiar in form, some resembling 

 ill-shaped figures of fives, eights, and sevens, others being long and 

 wavy, but few if any encircling the shell altogether. These lines 

 are thick in proportion to their length, and in places are looped, 

 curled, and twisted in various directions, often crossing each other 

 at right angles." (Bamsay, P.Z.S., 1875^ p. 112.) 



In the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London for 

 1875 (March 2nd) p. 112, where I first described the egg of this 

 species, I laid stress on the peculiar short, wavy, and irregular 

 markings, drawing attention to the somewhat similar characters 

 exhibited on the egg of Chalamydodera maculata; at that time I 

 had only two perfect specimens from nests taken in the Wollongong 

 district. Since then however, I have received two well 

 authenticatad sets, which show that the eggs previously described 

 were not of the normal form, hence the necessity for describing 

 the most common variety, in which irregular blotches and spots 

 form the characteristic markings. The eggs vary in prqportionate 

 length, but are usually long ovals, seldom even slightly swollen 

 towards the thicker end ; the ground colour is of a rich cream or 

 light stone-colour, spotted and blotched with irregular patchy 

 markings, and a few dots of umber and sienna-brown of diSerent 

 tints, in some almost approaching blackish-brown, in others of a 



