BIRDS OF THE BRUSHES AND BIG SCRUBS 
ii 
the big scrubs of the mainland and many islands off the coast. It is very 
similar in habits and call-notes to the Paradise Rifle-bird. Food: native 
fruits and insects. 
Nest. — An open, cup-shaped structure, composed of dead leaves, vine 
tendrils, twigs, and portions of climbing plants; lined with fine twigs. 
Frequently pieces of the cast-off skin of a snake are used as decorations, 
these being worked into the outside materials of the structure. Usually 
secreted in a thick mass of vines or foliage, often near the top of a small 
tree in dense scrub. 
Eggs. — Two, reddish flesh-colour, beautifully marked with longitud- 
inal streaks and a few smudges or spots of red, purplish-red, reddish-violet, 
and purplish-grey, a number appearing as if beneath the shell. Breeding- 
season: (July to September), October to December. 
6. Paradise Rifle-bird Ptiloris paradiseus Swainson — 6A. Female 
par-a-di -se-us — L., paradiseus , of Paradise. 
Distribution. — Central Queensland (Rockhampton) to central New 
South Wales (Hunter River). 
Notes. — Usually in pairs, frequenting the big scrubs and brushes of 
the coast and contiguous mountain ranges. Each male bird appears to 
have his own special domain, an area about a quarter of a square mile 
in extent, over which he reigns; he rarely leaves his territory. The call 
is a harsh scream, “Y-a-a-ss,” frequently uttered, especially during the 
mating season. The male “displays” in an extraordinary manner, usually 
selecting for his performance a bare horizontal limb of a tree at the edge 
of the scrub, or overlooking a gorge. This limb he visits regularly. Food: 
insects, mostly procured from under or in the crevices of the bark on 
tree-trunks; also native fruits and berries. 
Nest. — A rather large, open, cup-shaped structure, composed of large 
brown dead leaves and vine tendrils, decorated with pieces of green 
climbing fern and portions of the cast-off skins of snakes ; lined with wiry 
fern-stems and rootlets. Usually secreted in a dense mass of vines or 
foliage in the topmost part of a bushy tree, at heights up to 90 feet from 
the ground. 
Eggs. — Usually two, reddish-cream, beautifully and regularly marked 
with spots and longitudinal streaks like brush markings, of red, reddish- 
chestnut, purplish-red, and underlying ones of purplish-grey; the mark- 
ings are more pronounced on the larger end. Breeding-season: October 
to December. 
7. Shining Starling Aplonis metallica Temminck — 7A. Immature 
A p -Ion -is — no derivation has been found; the name suggests Apollonis, 
from Apollo, the sun : met'-al-li-ca — L., metallicus , like metal. 
Distribution. — Northern Queensland; also occurs in the Celebes, 
Molucca Islands, and New Guinea. 
Notes. — Migratory, arrives in August and departs in March. In 
flocks, resembling in their flights the introduced Starling, performing 
