6o 
The Emu. 
and their dull brown colour harmonizes to perfection with the 
deep shade of their surroundings. The Bower Birds {Chlaviy- 
derce) construct their open nests of light twigs on dead or grey 
branches of some light eucalyptus tree in open forest country, 
and the female bird, being practically the same colour, is very 
difficult to detect, whilst the Satin Bower Bird {PtilonorJiynchiis 
violaceus), where the hen is of a mottled green colour, builds on a 
branch well among the green leaves, and often in the centre of 
a bunch of mistletoe, generally choosing a thickly timbered 
gully or similar place, and although the birds are plentiful 
enough in places their nests are rarely found, yet they are not 
often built more than twelve feet or so from the ground ; they 
line their nests with a few dead leaves. The Cat Birds {Aeliu'wdits), 
also being green, likewise build their nests towards the end of a 
branch, among the green leaves, and they also choose thick scrub 
in which to construct their home, and the bird harmonizes with 
its surroundings. The Bristle Birds {Sphemira) are of a dull 
brown colour, and live in the densest scrub, on the ground, as 
does the Pilot Bird {Pycnoptilus), of a somewhat similar colour, 
but darker, and they construct their domed nests of grass and 
leaves on the ground, generally well hidden by scrub. 
The little Grass-Warblers {Ctsticola exilis) construct their 
delicate nests frequently of the fluffy seed stems of the dande- 
lion, or similar soft material, held together with cobweb, and 
they also use the latter material as thread, with which they sew 
together the neighbouring leaves, which they draw round the 
nest, almost completely hiding it from view, or if the nest is built 
in long grass or standing grain they wind the long leaves round 
their delicate homes, apparently to make them assimilate with 
their surroundings, which they do to a remarkable extent. The 
birds, being light reddish-brown, are inconspicuous. Acanthizas 
are dull-coloured birds, but they build domed nests, which are 
generally made of bark or other material obtained from the tree 
or shrub on which they are built, and, if possible, choose a site 
alongside a bunch of dead leaves or twigs, generally low down, 
and the nest has a very similar appearance to what is alongside 
it, and may easily be mistaken for such a bunch, and I have no 
doubt often is. The familiar Tits {Acanthisa cJirysorrJiod) are an 
exception, as they often build their bulky nests in conspicuous 
places, but they are very fond of constructing them in prickly 
bushes, such as Acacia annata : they do this especially in 
Western Australia, and although the nests are easily seen they 
are difficult to get at, especially for a large bird of prey. The 
birds are plentiful over the greater portion of Australia and 
Tasmania, which shows that their nests are not much interfered 
with. The Orthonyx, in New South Wales and Queensland, are 
very dark-coloured birds, but they build domed nests on the 
ground, the interior being composed of green moss and the 
exterior of leaves and sticks, picked up from the immediate 
