Decemberi WAKWIlOA Hou-cr-binl Visits Mcllwttntr 121 



twenty-four spites of the Grape Hyacinth which had been >t<»1en 

 from nearby garden beds. 



Xatnrally, this spot became the centre of interest. Cameras wen- 

 set up and a number of black-and-white and several colour sliot^ 

 were taken of the bird at the bower. It took no notice at all of two 

 cameras within three feet of the bower, and even the firing uf a 

 flash-bulb did not disturb it in the slightest. However, it left the 

 playground immediately anyone moved within Stgbt of it. 



Two long pneumatic releases were used, and a front rooin at Mr, 

 Davey's house was the "hide", with a comfortable arm-chair from 

 which to observe the bird, and with occasional cups of tea! It came 

 to the bower at irregular intervals throughout the day. either to 

 build .and decorate, to paint, or to perform; but it never mixed 

 these operations at aiiv one visit. 



The actual decorations were of the blue articles already men- 

 tioned, and this bird was interested only in the one shade of blue, 

 the dee]) colour of the Grape Hvacinth. it would not touch the pale 

 blue forget-me-nots in the nearby garden beds, Kxperiment was 

 made by turning over and shifting the cream-bottle tops, but the 

 bird immediately readjusted these exactly as it had had them origi- 

 nallw ( )n one occasion it had added about a dozen silver milk-bottle 

 tops to the layout — an unprecedented thing for a Satin Bower-bird 

 to do, and what would be expected of its Spotted cousin — but this 

 was only a temporary lapse, for the next day these were all gone 

 and only the blues remained. 



The bird spent sonic time each day picking up and rearranging the 

 sticks of the platform and in pushing more down amongst the erect 

 walls of the passage-way. The latter was done rather forcibly each 

 time, with the head held sideways and with a single strong down- 

 thrust. 



More visits were made for the purpose of painting than for build- 

 ing. This should be called "plastering", for the bird would arrive 

 with its beak full of what appeared to be dark material and would 

 carefully and systematically work up and down stick after stick of 

 the walls of the passage-way, nibbling them with its mandibles. 

 Investigation revealed that the medium used was the mastieulated 

 pulp of the banana which its human hosts had so kindly provided 

 for its sustenance ! 



Most remarkable of all were its performances, both on the window- 

 sills and at the bower. It seemed to prefer the former, evidently 

 tinder the delusion that it had an audience. It usually had something 

 whitish or pale brown in its beak. A favourite article was the yellow- 

 ish outside skin of an onion; it kept two such pieces at its bower. 

 It might be concluded that brownish articles (such as cicada 

 cases) are playthings rather than ornaments at the bowers. 



At one time it would stand high with its body arched and wings 

 slightly raised, appearing quite slim; at another it would fluff out 

 its feathers and droop its wings, thus appearing plump. It would 



