The Brush Wattle-bird. BIRDS. The Poe-bird. 315 
and sociable in its habits, forty or fift}' being sometimes 
seen on a single tree. Its flight is short, and much 
resembles that of the common magpie. Its note is a 
harsh and disagreeable scream. The nest is cup-shaped, 
and composed of fine twigs, grass, and wool. 
THE SHORT-EARED WATTLE -BIRD {Anthoclmra 
carimculata), a nearly allied species, has been met with 
in all the southern parts of Australia, but not in Van 
Diemen’s Land. Its general colour is greyish-brown, 
varied with pale grey ; the tail is wedge-shaped, but 
Oroader than in the preceding species ; underneath the 
eye is a large white patch, and from the posterior part 
of the lower margin of this depends a small bright red 
appendage about half an inch long. The whole length 
of the bird is about fourteen inches. In its habits, 
food, and note it resembles the preceding species. 
THE BRUSH WATTLE-BIRD {Anthochcera mellivora) 
— called Goo-gwar-ruclc, in imitation of its singular cry, 
by the natives of New South Wales — is an abundant 
and well-known species, not only in that colony, but 
also in South Australia and Van Diemen’s Land. It 
Fig. 107. 
is a smaller species than either of the preceding, mea- 
suring only about a foot in length ; its general colour 
is dark brown, variously streaked and spotted with 
white. Both sexes are destitute of the curious wattles 
with which the preceding species are adorned. The 
Brush Wattle-bird is peculiarly attached to the Bavh- 
sias, the flowers of which it explores as they open, in 
search of honey and insects. Mr. Gould remarks that 
as these trees are always indicative of barren land, the 
harsh note of this garrulous bird may generally be taken 
by the settler as a warning that the soil in the neigh- 
bourhood is not very fertile. It is a bold, animated, 
and pugnacious bird. The nest is rather small, placed 
upon a forked branch not far from the ground, and 
composed of fine twigs and fibres. The eggs are of a 
salmon colour, blotched with chestnut-brown, especially 
at the larger end ; the nest usually contains two, some- 
times three of them. This species is represented in 
Western Australia by the Lunulated Wattle-bird 
{Anthochcera lunuluta). 
THE POE-BIRD {Prosthemadera Novee Zelandice ) — 
The Poe-bird (Prosthemadera Novm Zelandife). 
fig. 107 — one of the most abundant birds of New 
Zealand, is about the size of a thrush, and of a black 
colour, with a curious tuft of white feathers on each 
side of the neck, whence the name of the “ Parson 
bird” has been given to it by the European settlers. 
Its native name is Tui. It possesses a wonderful 
talent for imitation, exactly mimicking the notes of all 
the other feathered inhabitants of the woods ; hence 
it is some times called the Mocking Bird. In con- 
finement it will also learn to imitate other sounds, such 
as the noises of dogs, cats, poultry, &c., and will soon 
speak long sentences with great correctness. The food 
of this bird consists principally of insects, in search of 
which it exhibits an incessant restless activity ; it also 
feeds upon berries and earthworms. Its flesh is con- 
sidered delicious. 
THE FRIAR-BIRD {Tropidorhynchus corniculatus) . 
The singular bird to which this name is given, has the 
head covered with a naked black skin, and the base 
of the bill adorned with a remarkable knob ; the 
plumage of the upper surface is greyish-brown ; 
that of the lower surface greyish, except the chin, 
throat, and chest, which are covered with lanceolate 
silver-white feathers. The length of the bird is 
about a foot. It is an exceedingly abundant and 
well-known bird in New South Wales, where its 
singular appearance, and no less singular notes, have 
obtained for it from the colonists a great variety of 
