CHLAMYDODERA MACULATA. (Gould) 
SPOTTED BOWER-BIRD. 
Calodera maculata. — Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1836), p. 106, Synop. Birds Austr., pt. 1. 
Chlamydera maculata. — Gould, Birds of Austr. (1837), pt. 1. — Id., Birds Austr., Vol. IV., pi. 8. — G. R. Gray, Gen. 
Birds, Vol. II., p. 325. 
Chlamydodera maculata. — Cab., Mus. Hein. Theil., I., p. 212. — Gould, Hand-B. Birds of Austr. (1865), Vol. I., p. 450. 
— Ramsay, Ibis (1866), p. 329.- — Elliot, Monogr. Parad., pi. 30 (1873). 
Habitat. — New South Wales, Easterx Australia. 
^THE present species represents a very curious family of birds, closely allied to the Birds of Paradise. Mr. Gould, who 
discovered the species, gives the best account of it that I have been able to find. I therefore quote his observations 
concerning it: “I observed this bird to be tolerably abundant at Brezi, on the river Mokai, to the northward of the Liver- 
pool Plains; it is also equally numerous in all the low scrubby ranges m the neighborhood of the Namoi, as well as in the 
open brushes which intersect the plains on its borders, and collections trom Moreton Bay generally contain examples. 
Still, from the extreme shyness ot its disposition, the bird is seldom seen by ordinary travellers, and it must be under very 
peculiar circumstances that it can be approached sufficiently close to observe its colors. 1 he Spotted Bower-Bird has a 
harsh, orating:, scolding' note, which is generallv uttered when its haunts are intruded on, and by which its presence is 
detected when it would otherwise escape observation. When disturbed it takes to the topmost branches of the loftiest trees, 
and frequently flies off to another neighborhood. In many of its actions, and in the greater part of its economy, much 
similarity exists between this species and the Satin Bower-Bird, particularly in the curious habit ol constructing an artificial 
bower or playing-place. I was so far fortunate as to discover several of these bowers during my journey in the interior, the 
finest of which I succeeded in bringing to England ; it is now in the British Museum. The situations of these runs or 
bowers are much varied ; I found them both on the plains studded with Myalls ( Acacia pendula ) and other small trees, 
and in the brushes clothing the lower hills. They are considerably longer and more avenue-like than those of the Satin 
Bower-Bird, being in many instances three feet in length. They are outwardly^ built of twigs, and beautifully lined with 
tall grasses, so disposed that their heads nearly meet ; the decorations are very profuse, and consist of bivalve shells, crania 
of small mammalia and other bones bleached by exposure to the rays of the sun or from the camp-fires ot the natives. 
Evident indications of high instinct appear throughout the whole of the bower and decorations formed by this species, 
particularly in the manner in which the stones are placed within the bower, apparently to keep the grasses with which it is 
lined fixed firmly in their places ; these stones diverge from the mouth of the run on each side so as to form little paths, 
while the immense collection of decorative materials are placed in a heap before the entrance ol the avenue, — the arrange- 
ment being the same at both ends. In some of the larger bowers, which had evidently been resorted to for many years, I 
have seen half a bushel of bones, shells, etc., at each of the entrances. I frequently found these structures at a considerable 
distance from the rivers, from the borders of which they could alone have procured the shells and small round pebbly 
stones ; their collection and transportation must therefore be a task of great labor. I fully ascertained that these runs, like 
