THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
male bird, uttered so deliberately Avith a pause of a second betAveen each 
syllable. A short, single ‘ yass ’ locates the female, Avhile the young male 
may perhaps attempt the double call, but it is hurried and unpractised.” 
Mellor has Avritten from the BlackaU Ranges, South Queensland; “The 
Rifle-Bird Avas present, but not plentiful. Its presence is generally made known 
by the pecuhar note that the male bird utters, being something betAreen a 
harsh screech and the AA^hirring noise of a strong clock spring suddenly unAAunding, 
the note being extremely difficult to imitate, and generally made in the thick 
scrub. At times the mature males, in all their glory of velvety-black and 
burnished steel-blue, Avill come out on some extremely high dead tree and there 
‘ perform.’ On one occasion I Avas entertained for over an hour in Avatching 
the antics of a fine male bird in his endeavours to fascinate the female. He 
AA^ould boAA^ and scrape, proceeding and receding at times AAuth his Avings throAm 
right up over his head until the tips met, and Avith the bright mor ning sun 
shining on his burnished breast-plate and helmet.” 
Ramsay (the younger) has contributed a fine account of this species on 
the Upper Clarence River district, Northern NeAV South Wales, Avhich must 
be referred to and from Avhich I quote: “At Camp only one Rifle-Bird was 
noted—a female. As the Aveather Avas cold she kept to the forest timber, and 
Avas seldom seen in the scrub, preferring to foUoAv the sunlight around the steep 
hillsides. Although she AA^as shy, there Avere opportunities of observing her 
habits, and I AA^as much interested in her feeding. Clinging like a Climacteris 
to the side of a branch or trunk, she AA'ould pick a fcAv times at some loose bark 
or rotten timber, and then lay her ear against it listening for any movement 
of insects Avithin. She Avould peck and listen a feAV times, move on a foot or 
so, repeat the performance, and then suddenly pick and tear furiously, Avhile 
bark and rotten Avood shoAvered doAAm, until the unfortunate beetle or 
centipede Avas discovered and devoured. The birds shoAA’'ed great strength 
of legs and claAvs, and clung to the under-side of a branch for long 
periods; one Avas timed for over forty minutes hanging head doAAmwards 
on a broken branch, apparently devouring ants or their larvas.” 
Captain S. A. White has AATitten : “ This is Avithout doubt the most beauti¬ 
ful of the southern Queensland birds. Not only is it adorned AAuth the most 
AA^onderful and beautiful plumage, but its habits, flight and call resemble so 
much members of the most Avonderful and beautiful birds of the AA'orld— ‘ the 
Birds of Paradise.’ They AA^ere plentiful in these scrubs upon the Bunya 
Mountains, and it Avas a common sight to sit in camp (a collection of eight 
to nine tents) and AAmtch birds of both sexes come to the several small pools 
in a creek Avhich Avas fast drying up.” He then confirmed the ^'‘Climacteris- ” 
like actions of the female and the shoAAung-off of the male, and concluded: 
370 
