FAWN-BREASTED BOWER-BIRD. 
or patch of low scrub, half a mile from the beach, and, after a long search, 
I found a recently constructed bower, 4 feet long and 18 inches liigh, mth some 
fresh berries lying upon it. The bower was situated near the border of the 
thicket, the bushes composing which were seldom more than 10 feet high, 
gro^ving in smooth, sandy soil without grass. Next mornhig I was landed 
before daylight, and proceeded to the place hi company with Paida, taking 
mth us a large board on which to carry off the bower as a specimen. I had 
great difficulty in inducmg my friend to accompany me, as he was afraid of 
a war party of Gomokudins, which tribe had lately given notice that they 
were coming to fight the Evans Bay people. However, I promised to protect 
him, and loaded one barrel wnth ball, wliich gave him increased confidence ; 
still, he insisted upon carrying a large bundle of spears and a throwing-stick. 
While watching in the scrub, I caught several glimpses of the iewinga (its 
native name) as it darted tlurough the bushes in the neighbourhood of the 
bower, amiomicing its presence by an occasional loud churr-r-r, and imitating 
the notes of various other birds, especially the Tropidorhynchus. I never 
before met with a more wary bird ; and, for a long time, it enticed me to follow 
it to a short distance, then, flying off and ahghting on the bower, it would deposit 
a berry or tw'o, nm through and be off again before I could reach the spot. 
AH this time it wms impossible to get a shot. At length, just as my patience 
was becoming exhausted, I saw the bird enter the bow’er and disappear, when 
I fired at random through the twigs, fortxmately with effect. So closely had 
we concealed ourselves, latterly, and so silent had we been, that a kangaroo, 
while feeding, actually hopped up within fifteen yards, unconscious of our 
presence until fired at.” 
Barnard recorded C. cerviniventris from Cape York, giving comparisons 
with C. orientalis, and his note will be quoted under the next species. 
MacgiUivray (the younger) has written: “ Fairly common at Cape York, 
but unevenly distributed. They were met with at Paira, Peak Point, and 
Somerset, on the Jardine River, and Escape River, and at Cape Grenville. 
Many nests were foimd, but only one contained the much-coveted eggs. Seven 
bowers were noted at Cape York. Some had a platform of sticks in front of 
the bower, and one had a square platform, also of sticks, about 6 feet from 
the bower, raised U inches from the ground. The only decorations about these 
bowers were bunches of green berries—^no shells, flowers or leaves w^ere noted. 
Berries were on all the bowers, and on the platforms in front. One bower was 
below high-water mark, in the mangroves, and was flooded by the high tide 
every fortnight. There was a sheUy beach 3 yards away, but shells were never 
used for decoration, though so near at hand—alw^ays some kind of berry. When 
playing about the bowers the birds make a rusthng noise with the throat. 
VOL. xn. 
337 
