BIRDS OF THE BRUSHES AND BIG SCRUBS 
13 
Distribution . — Northern Queensland. 
Notes. — Also called Newton’s Bower-bird. Usually in pairs or small 
parties, frequenting the big scrubs. Its call is a frog-like croak, difficult 
to imitate ; the bird is also a splendid mimic. This species builds an 
immense bower, usually constructed on the ground between two small 
trees or between a tree and a bush. It is made of small sticks and twigs 
which are piled up almost horizontally around one of the trees in the form 
of a pyramid, attaining a height varying from 4 to 9 feet; a similar but 
smaller pile is then built around the foot of the other tree. The space 
between is arched over with stems of climbing plants, and the walls are 
decorated with pieces of green moss, ferns, orchids, flowers of other 
plants, and clusters of berries. Through and over the covered run-way 
the birds play, the males displaying their glorious plumage, erecting the 
crest and nape feathers and spreading the tail. Food : native fruits and 
berries. 
Nest. — An open, cup-shaped structure, composed of dead leaves, large 
but thin strips of bark, skeleton leaves, small sticks, and moss ; lined with 
rootlets and twigs. It is usually placed in an opening, ledge, or hollow 
portion of a tree, or other such sheltered position in dense scrub, and often 
within 3 or 4 feet of the ground. 
Eggs. — Two, pure white. Breeding-season: October to December. 
10. Spangled Drongo Chibia bracteata Gould 
Chib'-i-a — East Indian chibia , drongo: hrac-te-d-ta — L., bracteatus, like 
a shining metal plate. 
Distribution. — North-western Australia to northern Queensland to 
eastern Victoria, accidental to Tasmania; also occurs in New Guinea. 
Notes. — Usually in pairs, frequenting alike scrub and open forest 
countries; chiefly migratory, arriving in New South Wales during October 
and departing in March or occasionally as late as May. It shows a prefer- 
ence for trees on the edge of scrubs, and is very similar to the Dollar- 
bird in the method of securing its food. The call-note is a loud, harsh, 
cackling whistle, easily recognized when compared with the calls of other 
species. Food: insects, procured on the wing and among the leaves and 
blossoms. 
Nest. — An open, shallow, cup-shaped structure, composed almost 
entirely of vine tendrils intermingled with plant-stems; frequently it has a 
quantity of spiders’ webs worked over the forked branch in which it is 
built; often lined with rootlets. It is attached at the sides to a thin forked 
stem of an outspreading branch of a bushy tree, at heights up to 50 feet 
or more from the ground. 
Eggs. — Three to five, varying from faint reddish or pinkish-white to 
pale purplish-grey, spotted, blotched, and finely streaked with pinkish-red, 
chestnut, and purplish-grey. Breeding-season: October to February. 
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