Jan., 192 
The Queensland Naturalist. 
I19 
records of Kegeiit-Bird’s bowers, but so few of them as to 
t;ive rise to the doubt existing in the case of the Cat-Birds — ■ 
whether the practice i.s not in some degree restricted among 
the birds. 
There are numerous other interesting little points to 
be cleared in respect of this ‘ ‘ most extraordinary family of 
birds.’' For instance: How long do the male Satin and 
Regent lairds, respectively, take to assume their full colour? 
Does the male bin! alone construct the bower, and does it 
ever tlo so while in immature plumage? Do both birds share 
in the nest-building and attention to eggs and young? 
What is the reason for the predilection of the Satin-Bird 
for objects of a blue colour? Do the Bower-Birds con- 
sviously teach their young to mimic? (A correspondent 
says "Yes.”) Is this mimicry a cleverly consc.i<nis i*use to 
draw attention from the young? (Another correspondent 
affirms that it is.) Other questions suggest themselves, but 
the.se will suffice for the present. 
A few further observations of lsh\ Broadbent’s may 
be quoted from his marginal notes to the Could book. 
Apropos of Gould’s regret at inability to locate the nest 
(.r the Satin- Bird, ‘‘K.B.” says: "Builds in clump of 
mistletoe in white gums; found nest in mountains at Mary- 
land ; built of small sticks, with a few gum-leaves for lining; 
two young ones, covered with grey down. December 20, 
1886.” 
Regarding the Great Bower-Bird {Chlamydera 
nuchah's) Broadbent says: ”This bird was very common at 
Kimberley, mouth of Norman River. 1 have shot eight old 
males at one bower, in July (?). They are as a rule very 
shy birds. Find their bower and wait is the only chance 
to get a specimen.” Gould had a specimen of this species 
which he considered to be a female, because it lacked the 
nuchal adornment, on which point Broadbent observes: 
"Males and females both have the nuchal ornament, which 
is smaller in the female.” He thinks Gould’s bird was 
immature. A similar point is touched on in regard to the 
common Spotted Bower-Bird {C. maculata). Gould was 
in doubt as to whether the female ever acquired the lila- 
ceous mark at the back of the neck. Broadbent writes 
'‘Yes,” but does not comment on Gould’s remark that “for 
the first and perhaps the second year, she is certainly 
without it. ” 
Another interesting note concerns the little-known 
Fawn-breasted Bower-Bird (C, cerviniventris) of North 
Queensland and New Guinea. "At Port Moresby,” wfite.s 
