TOOTH-BILLED BOWER-BIRD. 
as possible, towards our objective, the bird was disturbed by our approach. 
We lay down within a few feet of the playground, and in a few minutes our 
friend came back and perched on a twig about two feet above the chosen spot. 
We were then treated to a wonderful display of the bird’s powers of mimicry, 
and by the way he stretched and peeped in our direction one judged that he 
was quite aware that he had an interested audience. The first effort was 
the whistle of the Rusty Shrike-Thrush, which he imitated really well, though 
one might notice that though the note was strong it lacked the melody and 
roundness of the original. Then came the rolling note of the Black Butcher- 
Bird, a call very much resembhng that of the Chough, and which might be 
an imitation of either or both. After that the scream of the Blue-bellied 
Lorikeet was reproduced, followed by that of the Spotted Cat-Bird. Although 
the last-named call was a splendid imitation, it seemed to require a considerable 
effort to produce it, and was followed by a low after-note, to hear wliich one 
had to hsten carefully. Perhaps the bird’s masterpiece was the call of the 
Drongo-Slirike, a harsh, grating note. Possibly he gave us that just to prove 
that his repertoire was a varied one. After watching and listening to the bird 
for a considerable time, we reluctantly disturbed liim, as we wished closely to 
examine the playground. The cleared space was about six or seven feet long 
by four wide, and was swept as clean as one could do it with a broom. Twenty- 
five large leaves, all fresh, were placed irregularly about it, aU turned upside 
down. A careful inspection disclosed five distmct varieties of leaves, samples 
of which were taken for future reference. At No. 2 we had no opportunity 
of watching the bird, as he left at our approach, and seemed reluctant to return 
to treat us to a sample of his musical abihties. Here the leaves were 
of a different variety to any of those previously fomid, being with one or two 
exceptions those of the native guiger. No. 3 was a very much more extensive 
ground, being ten or twelve feet long, but pinched at the middle like a figme 8. 
Possibly it was a sort of combination playground and belonged to two birds, 
and it might have proved of interest if we had waited for the bird or birds to 
return. The leaves were all of one kind (native ginger) and were about twenty 
in number. Soon after leavmg No. 3 a call led us to No. 4, and there we had 
opportumty of watchuig the bird again, though at a greater distance. His 
songs were not so varied, though the quahty was good. An examination of 
his playground disclosed a rather sad state of things. The bird was either a 
poor housekeeper or had slept late that morning, for the floor was littered 
with dead leaves of the previous day’s gathering, only two or three fresh ones 
bemg amongst them. No. 5 was situated close to a timber-getter’s track, and, 
being in shghtly more open scrub, was made the subject of a photo. The 
leaves were twenty-four in number, and excepting four or five, were those 
309 
