THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
nest is often padded with very soft vegetable matter. Dimensions over all • 31 to 
inches across, by 2 to 2^ inches in depth. Sometimes the nest is placed vithin 
about one foot of the ground, though more often it is built in a small bush about 
5 or 6 feet from the ground. 
Breeding-months. May or June to November, and in some years later. 
This fine species was named by Latham from “ a di-awiug of ]\Ir. Lambert,” 
but no notes were given regarding its habits ; but Avhen Sharpe reported upon 
the Watling dramngs he gave Wathng’s note : “ The tongue is short and very 
brushy. Native name Dill-ring.” 
Vigors and Horsfield did not recognise Latham’s descriiDtion, and when 
they met with a specimen amongst the Austrahan birds in the collection of the 
Linnean Society they described it as a new species, quoting Caley’s observations: 
“ Dell-bird or Bell-bird. So called by the colonists. It is an inhabitant of 
brushes, where its disagreeable noise (disagreeable at least to me) may be 
continually heard; but nowhere more so than on going up the harbour to 
Paramatta, when a little above the falls.” 
Gould’s accomit is most compilete as follows : “ The present bird evinces 
a decided preference for, and appears to be strictly confined to dense and 
thick brushes, particularly such as are of a humid and swampy^ nature, and 
with the fohage of which the peculiar tint of its plumage closely assimilates. 
I frequently met with it in companies of from ten to forty, and occasionally 
still greater numbers were seen disporting among the leafy branches in search 
of insects and displaying many varied actions, at orre time clinging to and 
hanging down from the brarrches by one leg, and at another prying beneath 
the leaves, or flying mth outspread wings and tail from tree to tree, and 
giving utterance to a peculiar garrulous note totally different in sound from 
the faint monotonous tinkle usually uttered, wlrich has been justly compared 
to the sound of distant sheep-bells, and which, when poured forth by a hundred 
throats from various par*ts of the forest, has a most singular effect. The same 
appellation of Bell-bird having been given by the colonists of Swan Eiver to 
a species inhabiting that part of Austraha, I must here warn my readers 
against considerhig them identical, by informing them that the two birds are 
not only specifically but genericaUy distinct. This bud has not as yet been 
observed out of New South Wales, where its peculiar province is the brushes, 
and if it departs from those which stretch along the coast from Port Philip 
to Moreton Bay, I believe it will only be found in those which clothe the sides 
of the higher hills, such as the Liverpool Range and others of a similar character. 
Like the Myzanthce, it is of a prying and inquisitive disposition, and the whole 
troop may be easily brought within the range of observation by uttering 
any kind of harsh squeaking note, when they will descend to ascertain the 
34 
