BIRDS OF THE BRUSHES AND BIG SCRUBS 
15 
13. Satin Bower-bird Ptilonorhynchus violaceus Vieillot 
Ptil'-on-o-rhyncli-us —Gk, ptilon, feather; Gk, rhynchos, bill: vi-o-la-ce¬ 
lls —L., violaceus, blue. 
Distribution .—Eastern Australia, from Cape York to southern 
Victoria (Lake Corangamite). 
Notes .—Usually in pairs or small flocks, according to the seasons of 
the year, frequenting the big scrubs and brushes. It is plentiful through¬ 
out the brushes of the coastal districts where it is usually observed feeding 
upon native fruits. Females and young males predominate in the flocks 
and appear to be more fearless than fully coloured males. It has several 
call-notes, chief of which is a saw-like “wheeze”; it is also a splendid 
mimic. Wild fruits and berries constitute the greater portion of its food, 
to which are added insects of various kinds. During the summer and 
autumn months, when congregated in flocks, it visits orchards and does 
considerable damage, attacking chiefly the soft fruits. It builds a bower 
or playhouse on the ground, generally in scrub, and placed near a fallen 
log or moss-covered rock. A space about 2 or 3 feet in diameter is 
cleared and covered with a layer of thin sticks and twigs to a depth of 
about 3 inches. In the centre of this platform two parallel walls of thin 
sticks are built, the base of the walls being thicker, the inner portion 
resembling in form an inverted horseshoe. Scattered over the platform, 
but rarely in the bower, are various decorations, chiefly coloured blue, 
yellowish-green, and olive-brown, and consisting of feathers, berries, 
flowers, leaves, pieces of glass, blue-bags, snail shells, and cicada larvne 
shells. The birds also paint the inner walls of the bower with powdered 
charcoal. 
Nest .—An open and rather shallow structure, composed of thin 
sticks and twigs; lined with dried eucalypt leaves. Usually built in the 
fork of a tree at heights up to 40 feet from the ground; often a clump 
of mistletoe ( Loranthus) growing in a tree, is used as a nesting-site. 
Eggs .—Two or three, dark cream-colour, spotted and blotched, chiefly 
towards the larger end, with dark olive-brown, cinnamon-brown, and slaty- 
grey. Breeding-season: October to the end of December. 
