SPOTTED BOWER-BIRD. 
at from beneath. The size of the structure depends entirely upon the position 
or place in which it is built; very ofteii only a small quantity of material is 
required to build the nest, as for example when it is placed in a clmnp of Mistletoe 
(Loranthus) and other such growths. Dimensions over all of a typical and normal 
sized nest, 10 inches across by 5 inches in depth. Egg cavity, nearly 5 inches across 
by U inches deep. Generally placed in a tree or sapling in forest cormtry, and at 
heights varjdng from 7 to 30 feet or more. 
Breediiig-months. October to end of December, sometimes as late as end of February — 
it all depends on the rainfall. Some clutches in the Belltrees Collection were taken 
as late as the 28th of February (1924) soon after good rains had fallen, and following 
upon a dry period. 
Eggs. Two eggs form the clutch. A clutch of two eggs taken near Alice Springs, Central 
Austraha, on the 4th of December, 1912, is of a pale greenish-grey ground-colom, 
most beautifully marked and marbled with a network of lines, twisting and bending 
in all directions, but the bulk of which encircle the egg, both ends of each specimen 
(as is often the case with C. maculata) being very free of markings. The colours 
of the line and hair-like markings are much the same as those described in C. 
maculata ; in fact, the eggs are very similar in the general colour, shape, and 
markings to those of C. maculata, except that they are smaller. Long ovals in 
shape. Surface of shell fine, smooth and rather glossy. 36 by 23 mm. 
{macdonaldi.). 
Nest. Similar in structure to that of C. maculata, and placed in a small or large tree at 
heights varying from six to twenty feet or more. 
Breeding-months. October, November and December, but probably often later owing 
to weather conditions. 
When Gould described this bird he was unable to furnish any notes of its habits, 
but he afterwards provided the follovdng : “ Durmg my journey into the interior 
of New South Wales, I observed this bird to be tolerably abundant at Brezi 
on the river Mokai to the northward of the Liverpool Plains ; it is also equally 
numerous in all the low, scrubby ranges in the neighbourhood of the Namoi, 
as well as in the open brushes which intersect the plains on its borders, and 
collections from Moreton Bay generally contain examples ; still, from the 
extreme shyness of its disposition, the bird is seldom seen by ordinary travellers, 
and it must be mider very pecuhar circumstances that it can be approached 
sufficiently close to observe its colours. The Spotted Bower-Bird has a harsh, 
grating, scolding tone, wliich is generally uttered when its haunts are intruded 
on, and by which means its presence is detected when it would otherwise escape 
observation ; when disturbed it takes to the topmost branches of the loftiest 
trees, and frquently flies off to another neighbourhood. In many of its actions 
and in the greater part of its economy much similarity exists between this 
species and the Satin Bower-Bird, particularly in the curious habit of 
constructing an artificial bower or playing-place. I was so far fortunate as to 
discover several of these bowers during my journey in the interior, the finest 
of which I succeeded in bringing to England ; it is now in the British Museum. 
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