CRESTED BELL-BIRD. 
and bad land. It resorts much to the ground, over the surface of which it 
hops with great quickness, often in small companies of from three to six in 
number. When flushed it flies but a short distance, generally to a large 
horizontal branch of a neighbouring Eucalyptus, along which it passes in a 
succession of quick hops, similar to those of the Common Sparrow of Europe. 
It is very animated in many of its actions, particularly the male, whose 
erected crest and white face, relieved by the beautiful orange colour of the 
eye, give it a very sprightly appearance. The female, on the other hand, 
being nearly uniform in colour, having the eye hazel and the crest less developed, 
is by no means so attractive. I regret much that it is not in my power to 
convey an idea of the sounds uttered by this bird, for they are singular in 
the extreme ; besides which, it is a perfect ventriloquist, its peculiar, mournful 
piping whistle appearing to be at a considerable distance, while the bird is 
perched on a large branch of a neighbouring tree. Gilbert having described 
to the best of his power the singular note of this species, I give his own words ; 
but no description can convey anything like an accurate idea of it; notes 
of birds, in fact, are not to be described, they must be heard to be understood. 
‘ The most singular feature,’ says Gilbert, ‘ connected with this bird is, that 
it is a perfect ventriloquist. At first its note commences in so low a tone 
that it sounds as if at a considerable distance, and then gradually increases 
in volume until it appears over the head of the wondering hearer, the bird 
that utters it being all the while on the dead part of a tree, perhaps not more 
than a few yards distant; its motionless attitude rendering its discovery 
very difficult. It has two kinds of song, the most usual of which is a running 
succession of notes, or two notes repeated together rather slowly, followed 
by a repetition three times rather quickly, the last note resembling the sound 
of a bell from its ringing tone; the other song is pretty nearly the same, only 
that it concludes with a sudden and peculiar fall of two notes.’ In its 
nidification and in many of its actions it offers considerable resemblance to 
the members of the genus Collaricincla. It has a thick muscular gizzard, 
and its food consists of seeds, grain, coleoptera, and the larvse of all kinds of 
insects. In Western Australia it often resorts to newly ploughed land, as 
it there finds an abundance of grubs and caterpillars, its most favourite food.” 
Captain S. A. White has written: “ Tins is really a dry country bird, 
and it is found all over the vast interior and is often a silent solitary bird, so 
in keeping with the surrounding country. The short clinking note is most 
remarkably like the sound produced by the tongue of a cattle or camel bell 
when tied up shortly, and many times I have been deceived by this bird, fully 
expecting that the camels were being brought into camp. The other call 
is one of four notes resembling the words ‘ reap-reap-reap-hook,’ a pause 
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