228 A DESCRIPTION OF 
pendently of numerous berry-bearing plants and shrubs, 
the brushes it inhabits are studded with enormous fig- 
trees, some of them towering to the height of two hun- 
dred feet ; among the lofty branches of these giants of 
the forests, the Satin Bower-bird and several species of 
pigeons find in the small wild fig, with which the branches 
are loaded, an abundant supply of a favourite food : this 
species also commits considerable depredation on any 
ripening corn near the localities it frequents. It appears 
to have particular times in the day for feeding, and when 
thus engaged among the low shrub-like trees, I have ap- 
proached within a few feet without creating alarm ; but 
at other times I have found this bird extremely shy and 
watchful, especially the old males, which not unfrequently 
perch on the topmost branch or dead limb of the loftiest 
tree, in the forest, whence they can survey all around, 
and watch the movements of the females and young in the 
brush below. Besides the loud liquid call peculiar to the 
male, both sexes frequently utter a harsh, unpleasant, 
guttural note, indicative of surprise or displeasure. The 
old black males are exceedingly few in number, as com- 
pared with the females and young male birds in the green 
dress, from which and other circumstances I am led to 
believe that at least two, if not three years, elapse before 
they attain the rich satin-like plumage, which, when once 
perfectly assumed, is, I believe, never again thrown off 1 . 
The extraordinary bower-like structures alluded to above, 
are usually placed under the shelter of the branches of 
some overhanging tree in the most retired part of the 
forest : they differ considerably in size, some being much 
larger than others. The base consists of an extensive 
and rather convex platform of sticks firmly interwoven, 
on the centre of which the bovver itself is built: this, like 
the platform on which it is placed, and with which it is 
interwoven, is formed of sticks and twigs, but of a more 
slender and flexible description, the tips of the twigs 
