BIRDS OF THE BRUSHES AND BIG SCRUBS 15 
distribution. Eastern Australia, from Cape York to southern 
Victoria (Lake Corangamite). 
notes. Usually in pairs or small flocks, according to the seasons of 
the year, frequenting the big scrubs and brushes. It is plentiful 
throughout the brushes of the coastal districts where it is usually 
observed feeding upon native fruits. Females and young males pre¬ 
dominate in the flocks and appear to be more fearless than fully 
coloured males. It has several call-notes, chief of which is a saw-like 
“wheeze”; it is also a splendid mimic. Wild fruits and berries constitute 
the greater portion of its food, to which are added insects of various 
kinds. During the summer and autumn months, when congregated 
in flocks, it visits orchards and does considerable damage, attacking 
chiefly the soft fruits. It builds a bower or playhouse on the ground, 
generally in scrub, and placed near a fallen log or moss-covered rock. 
A space about 2 or 3 feet in diameter is cleared and covered with a 
layer of thin sticks and twigs to a depth of about 3 inches. In the 
centre of this platform two parallel walls of thin sticks are built, the 
base of the walls being thicker, the inner portion resembling in form 
an inverted horseshoe. Scattered over the platform, but rarely in the 
bower, are various decorations, chiefly coloured blue, yellowish-green, 
and olive-brown, and consisting of feathers, berries, flowers, leaves, 
pieces of glass, blue-bags, snail shells, and cicada larvae shells. The 
birds also paint the inner walls of the bower with powdered charcoal. 
nest. An open and rather shallow structure, composed of thin 
sticks and twigs; lined with dried eucalypt leaves. Usually built in 
the fork of a tree at heights up to 40 feet from the ground; often a 
clump of mistletoe ( Loranthus) growing in a tree, is used as a nesting- 
site. 
eggs. Two or three, dark cream-colour, spotted and blotched, chiefly 
towards the larger end, with dark olive-brown, cinnamon-brown, and 
slaty-grey. Breeding-season: October to the end of December. 
