»Ohap. XIII. 
DECOEATIOX. 
71 
Oreat Bower-bird, which was seen amusing itself by 
flying backwards and forwards, taking a shell alter- 
nately from each side, and carrying it through the 
archway in its mouth.” These curious structures, 
formed solely as halls of assemblages, where both sexes 
amuse themselves and pay their court, must cost the 
birds much labour. The bower, for instance, of the 
fawn-breasted species, is nearly four feet in length, 
eighteen inches in height, and is raised on a thick 
platform of sticks. 
Decoration . — I will first discuss the cases in which the 
males are ornamented either exclusively or in a much 
higher degree than the females ; and in a succeeding 
ehapter those in which both sexes are equally orna- 
mented, and finally the rare cases in which the female is 
somewhat more brightly-coloured than the male. As with 
the artificial ornaments used by savage and civilised men, 
so with the natural ornaments of birds, the head is the 
chief seat of decoration.^^ The ornaments, as mentioned 
at the commencement of this chapter, are wonderfully 
diversified. The plumes on the front or back of the 
head consist of variously-shaped feathers, sometimes 
capable of erection or expansion, by which their beauti- 
ful colours are fully displayed. Elegant ear-tufts (see 
hg. 39 ante) are occasionally present. The head is 
sometimes covered wdth velvety down like that of the 
pheasant ; or is naked and vividly coloured ; or supports 
fleshy appendages, filaments, and solid protuberances. 
The throat, also, is sometimes ornamented with a beard, 
or with wattles or caruncles. Such appendages are 
generally brightly coloured, and no doubt serve as 
See remarks to this effect, on the “Feeling of Beauty among 
Animals,” by Mr. J. Shaw, in the ‘ Athenaeum,’ Nov. 21th, 1866, p. 681. 
