GREAT BOWER-BIRD. 
out of range. The tree is in a patch of open country. Could see the young 
bird through the nest. Jan. 28th, 1909: Young gone.” 
Rogers’ notes from the Derby district were published by Hall and I here 
quote them: “ I am camped in a gorge at the foot of the Grant Range, some 
three miles from Levuringa station. Ten yards from the tent is a huge bower. 
Each morning a large number of this species visit it at the same time. I 
counted ten birds. The birds are now leaving the river (28/2/00) and the 
bowers have assimied quickly a ragged appearance. I am of opinion they 
are leaving the river for breeding purposes. A few days later than making 
this note I again visited the river to see if the birds were still there. I fomid 
they had all left, and the bowers had fallen as if they had been deserted for 
months. To-day (8/6/00) I saw a male bird pulling a bower to pieces. He 
took each twig in his beak and dragged it out. At the p ullin g away of the 
bower he worked for nearly an hour. On 27th December, 1899, I foimd a 
nest and egg. The nest was placed about 12 feet from the gromid m a bauhhiia 
tree. The bird was very shy, and although I watched the tree, I only saw the 
bird go on to the nest once ; but it was always on the nest when I visited the 
tree. She used to slip off silently and hop and fly away on the side that had 
the tree between us. External dimensions of the nest, 10 by 10 by 5 J- niches ; 
internal dimensions, 6 by 5^ by 2^ inches. The egg could be seen through 
the nest from the ground. The nest w'as loosely constructed of coarse twigs, 
lined with fine bauhinia twigs. The bower within a few yards of my present 
camp is still frequented (31/12/99) by a large number of birds. They come 
about 6.30 a.m. and stay some thirty minutes. In the evening they return 
for one hour, just prior to sunset. They have the bower built under a small 
‘ freshwater ’ mangrove, the leaves of which are falMng at present each morning 
in great numbers. The leaves that have fallen during the night are picked up 
one by one and carried away m their beaks, going all the time with a peculiar 
sidling dance motion. With the heads turned on one side, they look very 
knowing. In a place known as Fourteen-Mile Gorge they are stiU very 
plentiful (13/1/00) and may often be seen in the small caves of the sandstone 
hills. Here I saw a black bird with a yellow eye, and it reminded me of a 
Satin Bower-Bird. To-day I shot a male bird hardly in moult (16/1/00). 
On 9/3/00 I noted that some few birds were on the river again, but the majority 
were still in the hills. On 8/4/00 I saw a large number at a bower. One male 
in full plumage spread out the pink ruff on his neck until the feathers resembled 
a videly-extended fan, almost forming a circle. What appears to be the male 
bird (judging by the plumage) plays for hours with bones, etc., at one end 
of the bower, uttering strange noises. One resembles a piece of silk 
vliile being cnunpled and shaken. The usual caU is a harsh and scolding one. 
VOL. xn. 
345 
