238 
Post Morlem Reports. 
are quite a dozen kinds, the Wonga-wonga and Squatter 
Pigeons most nearly resembling the New Zealand Wild Pigeon. 
The Torres Strait Pigeon and tlie Bkonze-Wing, llie former 
black and white and the latter bronze-brown in colour, are wilder 
and stronger-flighted birds. As in New Zealand, the finding of 
the nest of the Pigeon is a rare occurrence. There is a 
Queensland bird, popularly known as tlie Willie Wagtail. 
In appearance it is much like the New Zealand Fantail. It 
is a most confident little bird, and hovers about the pastures 
wherein cattle are grazing. This bird is polygamous, each male 
having six or seven mates. It feeds on the ground on seeds of the 
native grasses. When on the ground the whole flock is of a 
brown colour, but occasionally the birds rise to seek fresh 
pastures, and then the male rufiies his feathers in a way that 
changes his colour to a brilliant scarlet, thus marking himself 
out as the leader who must be followed. 
Another interesting ground bird in Queensland is the 
BowEK-BiRD. It is about the size of a Magpie. These birds 
dwell in colonies of about a dozen and eacli pair has its nest, 
a most untidy, hastily-thrown-togetlier affair, stuck promiscuously 
in adjacent trees. The whole energy of the colony is centred 
in the bower, which each group of birds build, and which is a 
marvellous construction. Twigs are laid on tlie ground and 
their ends are curved upwards. Then more twigs are woven 
into these, their ends still curving, until a woven tunnel 
is the result, built so strongly that it is difficult to cause 
any movement b\' shaking with the hand. These tunnels, or 
bowers, have several ramifications, and here the birds play all 
day long. They decorate their bower with bright leaves, flowers, 
pebbles and shells, and if by chance a silver spoon or ornament 
falls into their clutches, it is given a prominent position in their 
playhouse. A friend in North Queensland told Mr. Lawson 
that on one occasion be found a bower so stiongly and compactly 
built he could have raised it and carried it off without misplacing 
a single twig. (To be continued.) 
post riDoitcni IReports. 
[Vide Rides). 
For replies by post, a fee of 2, 6 must be sfnt : tliis regul.Ttioii will not be broken under 
any condition. 
Hkn vS.>\FFRON-Finch. (H. V. Johnson.) Cause of deatli, bird fever, which 
is a very deadly complaint. 
BiKD Fkvkk lias been very rampant this se;ison and avicnltiirists sliould be 
carefnl in making new purchases. HiiNRV Gray, ]M.R.C.V.S. 
Coiifitntt'd m lusef, page 40. 
