BIRDS OF THE BRUSHES AND BIG SCRUBS 
*3 
distribution. Northern Queensland. 
notes. Also called Newton’s Bower-bird. Usually in pairs or small 
parties, frequenting the big scrubs. Its call as a frog-like croak, difficult 
to imitate; the bird is also a splendid mimic. This species builds an 
immense bower, usually constructed on the ground between two small 
trees or between a tree and a bush. It is made of small sticks and 
twigs which are piled up almost horizontally around one of the trees 
in the form of a pyramid, attaining a height varying from 4 to 9 feet; 
a similar but smaller pile is then built around the foot of the other 
tree. The space between is arched over with stems of climbing plants, 
and the walls are decorated with pieces of green moss, ferns, orchids, 
flowers of other plants and clusters of berries. Through and over the 
covered run-way the birds play, the males displaying their glorious 
plumage, erecting the crest and nape feathers and spreading the tad. 
Food: native fruits and berries. 
nest. An open, cup-shaped structure, composed of dead leaves, large 
but thin strips of bark, skeleton leaves, small sticks, and moss, lined 
with rootlets and twigs. It is usually placed in an opening, ledge, or 
hollow portion of a tree, or other such sheltered position in dense 
scrub, and often within 3 or 4 feet of the ground. 
eggs. Two, pure white. Breeding-season: October to December. 
10. Spangled Drongo Chibia bracteata Gould 
Chib'-i-a —East Indian chibia, drongo: brac-te-d-ta—L., bracteatus, like 
a shining metal plate. 
distribution. North-western Australia to northern Queensland to 
eastern Victoria, accidental to Tasmania; also occurs in New Guinea. 
notes. Usually in pairs, frequenting alike scrub and open forest 
countries; chiefly migratory, arriving in New South ’Wales during 
October and departing in March or occasionally as late as May. It shows 
a preference for trees on the edge of scrubs, and is very similar to 
the Dollar-bird in the method of securing its food The call-note is a 
loud, harsh, cackling whistle, easily recognized when compaied with 
the calls of other species. Food: insects, procured on the wing and 
among the leaves and blossoms. 
nest. An open, shallow, cup-shaped structure, composed almost 
entirely of vine tendrils intermingled with plant-stems; frequently 
it has a quantity of spiders' webs worked over the forked branch m 
which it is built; often lined with rootlets. It is attached at the sides 
to a thin forked stem of an outspreading branch of a bushy tree, 
at heights up to 50 feet or more from the ground. 
eggs. Three to five, varying from faint reddish or pinkish-white to 
pale purplish-grey, spotted, blotched, and finely streaked with pinkish- 
red, chestnut, and purplish-grey. Breeding-season: October to Feb¬ 
ruary, 
c 
