PTILONORHYNCHUS VIOLACEUS. 



arrangement not the slightest obstruction is offered to the passage of the birds. The interest of this curious 

 bower is much enhanced by the manner in which it is decorated with the most gaily coloured articles that can 

 be collected, such as the blue tail-feathers of the Rose-hill and Pennantian Parrakeets, bleached bones, the shells 

 of snails, &c. Some of the feathers are inserted among the twigs, while others, with the bones and shells, are 

 strewed about near the entrances. The propensity of these birds to fly off with any attractive object is so 

 well known to the natives that they always search the runs for any small missing article that may have been 

 accidentally dropped in the brush. I myself found at the entrance of one of them a small neatly worked stone 

 tomahawk an inch and a half in length, together with some slips of blue cotton rags, which the birds had 

 doubtless picked up at a deserted encampment of the natives. 



" It has now been clearly ascertained that these curious bowers are merely sporting-places, in which the sexes 

 meet, and the males display their finery and exhibit many remarkable actions ; and so inherent is this habit, 

 that the living examples which have from time to time been sent to this country, continue it even in captivity. 

 Those belonging to the Zoological Societv have constructed their bowers, decorated and kept them in repair, for 



several successive years I regret to state that although I have used my utmost endeavours, I could 



never discover the nest and eggs of this species ; neither could I obtain any authentic information respecting 

 them, either from the natives or the colonists." 



Mr. Gould also publishes a letter from the late F. Strange, who says : — " My aviary is now tenanted by a pair 

 of Satinbirds, which for the last two months have been constantly engaged in constructing bowers. Both sexes 

 assist in their erection ; but the male is the principal workman. At times the male will chase the female all over 

 the aviary, then go to the bower, pick up a gay feather or a large leaf, utter a curious kind of note, set all his 

 feathers erect, run round the bower, and became so excited that his eyes appear ready to start from his head, and 

 he continues opening first one wing and then the other, uttering a low whistling note, and, like the domestic Cock, 

 seems to be picking up something from the ground, until at last the female goes gently towards him, when, after 

 two turns round her, he suddenly makes a dash, and the scene ends." 



This bird has generally been known to ornithologists by the name of holosericeus, bestowed upon it by Kuhl in 

 1820 ; but this will have to become a synonym of violaceus, given to the species by Vieillot in 1816, four years 

 previously. 



Male. — General colour of the plumage deep rich blue, with a gloss like satin, feathers of the forehead projecting 

 over the bill, concealing the nostrils. Primaries and secondaries glossy brownish black, the tips of the latter blue. 

 Tail black tipped with blue. Bill bluish at base, horn-colour at tip. Feet and tarsi flesh-colour. Iris dark blue. 



Female. — Entire upper parts dark olive-green. Underparts light buff, with a greenish shade, feathers of the 

 throat edged with brown, those of the remainder of the lower parts crossed near the tips by a curved fine of dark 

 brown, broadest on the flanks. Wings and tail rufous brown ; the edges of the inner webs of the secondaries 

 yellowish. Bill black, feet and legs flesh-colour. 



The figures are of the size of life. 



