Order XXI. (continued)
Mr. A. J. North, C.M.B.O.U., the ornithologist of the Australian Museum, Sydney, and one of the greatest of living Australian ornithologists, has declared that "without exception, the bower-building birds of Australia are the most extraordinary and interesting group of birds found in the world."
These wonderful birds construct, apart from their nests, play-houses—structures that "are perfectly anomalous in the architecture of birds." Gould considered the accounts of the "extraordinary habits" of the Bower Birds "as some of the valuable and interesting portions" of his work. Though the bird was known before Gould's time, its "extraordinary habits had never been brought before the scientific world until I (Gould) had the gratification of publishing an account of them after my return from Australia."
This month I had the gratification of seeing the Satin Bower Birds playing about a perfect bower within one chain of a country school, and within one yard of a busy roadside. The birds have quite made friends with the school children. They have helped themselves to the blue flowers from the school garden, pieces of blue paper, and even a blue hair ribbon, besides blue parrot's feathers. These are used to decorate this very interesting playhouse.
Unfortunately, Satin Bower Birds are mainly fruit-eaters, and so will possibly do some damage, but they are amongst the wonders of the world, and it is hoped all will hesitate to shoot them, "for their highly-decorated halls of assembly must be regarded as the most wonderful instances of bird-architecture yet discovered." The male gets his beautiful blue-black coat after he is seven years old.
Many of the schools of South Gippsland can show Satin Bower-Birds regularly in attendance at lunch-time to gather the crusts. We have destroyed their native fruits, and should submit to some slight loss to enable young Australians to become familiar with the "most interesting group of birds" in the world.
(continued below)
F. 163. PTILONORHYNCHIDAE (11), BOWER-BIRDS, Regent-Bird, Cat (Gardener) Bird, 37 sp. A.
1
1
385[*] Satin Bower-Bird, Satin Bird, Ptilonorhynchus violaceus, E.A.
Stat. r. coast-scrubs, mt.-gullies 12.5
Lustrous blue-black, with black centres to feathers; f.,[*] upper grayish-green; quills dark-brown; tail golden-brown; under yellow, washed bluish-green, marked blackish-brown; young male up to 3 years sim. to f. Gets fully adult blue-black after 7 years of age. Fruits, berries, insects. Many notes, mimics.
5
6
386[*] Spotted Bower-Bird, Cabbage-Bird, Chlamydera maculata, E.A, S.A. (inland).
Stat. v.r. dry scrubs 12
Upper dark-brown spotted buff; rose-lilac opalescent plumes on nape; tail tipped buff, white; abdomen pale creamy-buff, flanks barred dusky brown; f., no rose-lilac plumes. Varied, harsh, plaintive notes, mimics.