Marvels of the Universe 



'05 



paper, and found that by the light emitted he could read the newspaper easily. One such luminous 

 fungus measured sixteen inches across, stood a foot high, and weighed about five pounds. A 

 mushroom that grows on the olive-trees in the South of Europe is well known to give out a similar 

 light, and other species with the same power have been reported from various parts of the world. 



BIRDS AS BOWER-BUILDERS 



BY FRANK FINN, B.A., F.Z.S. 



The remarkable erections of certain Bower-birds have long been famihar in the illustrations of 

 natural histories ; but the purpose of, and the variety of construction in, these are not so well known. 

 The Bower-birds belong to that class of bird that indulges in social dancing and posing as a part 

 of their courtship. Not content with ha^^^g a meeting-ground, the Bower-birds prepare it for the 

 reception of visitors and even build and decorate playhouses. 



In general habits and form Bower-birds resemble Jays, and build quite ordinary nests, the bower 

 having nothing to do with nesting. Like Jays, also, they hop when on the ground, so that the 

 attitudes given to them by some taxidermists, in which they are represented as running like 

 Partridges, are quite misleading. The simplest form of playground used by any Bower-bird is that 

 of the Tooth-billed species, which simply clears a space and covers it with large green leaves. The 

 others all build some structure or other on the play-place, the best known being that of the Satin- 

 bird of Australia, so-called from the satiny purple plumage of the old male. The hens and young 



eiMO hul 



[ir. /'. Daaiio, F.Z.S. 



THE BOWER-BIRD AND ITS NEST. 



The Satin Bower-bird is here shown building its arbour-liUe nest, both sexes putting the materials into position 



and adding decorative touches. 



