112 SEXUAL SELECTION : BIEDS. Part II. 
shots.” The common lark is drawn dowm from the 
sky, and is caught in large numbers, by a small mirror 
made to move and glitter in the sun. Is it admiration 
or curiosity which leads the magpie, raven, and some 
other birds to steal and secrete bright objects, such as 
silver articles or jewels ? 
Mr. Gould states that certain humming-birds deco- 
rate the outside of their nests, with the utmost taste ; 
they instinctively fasten thereon beautiful pieces of 
flat lichen, the larger pieces in the middle, and the 
smaller on the part attached to the branch. Now 
and then a pretty feather is intertwined or fastened 
to the outer sides, the stem being always so placed^ 
that the feather stands out beyond the surface.” The 
best evidence, how^ever, of a taste for the beautiful is 
afforded by the three genera of Australian bower-birds 
already mentioned. Their bowers (see fig. 46, p. 70), 
where the sexes congregate and play strange antics, are 
differently constructed, but what most concerns us is, that 
they are decorated in a different manner by the several 
species. The Satin bower-bird collects gaily-coloured 
articles, such as the blue tail-feathers of parrakeets, 
bleached bones and shells, which it sticks between the 
twigs, or arranges at the entrance. Mr. Gould found 
in one bower a neatly-worked stone tomahawk and a 
slip of blue cotton, evidently procured from a native 
encampment. These objects are continually rearranged,, 
and carried about by the birds whilst at play. The 
bowser of the Spotted bower-bird is beautifully lined 
with tall grasses, so disposed that the heads nearly 
meet, and the decorations are very profuse.” Bound 
stones are used to keep the grass-stems in their proper 
places, and to make divergent paths leading to the 
bower. The stones and shells are often brought from 
a great distance. The Eegent bird, as described by 
