File:Bird-lore (1899) (14755285652).jpg

Identifier: birdlore12nati (find matches)
Title: Bird-lore
Year: 1899 (1890s)
Authors: National Association of Audubon Societies for the Protection of Wild Birds and Animals
Subjects: Birds -- Periodicals Birds -- Conservation Periodicals
Publisher: New York, National Association of Audubon Societies
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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hasbeen ascertained that more than one pair of birds frequent the samebower, which is really a lovers bower—a rendezvous for match-making. The illustration of a Satin-birds bower /// situ is from a photo-graph by my friend Mr. D Le Souef. The Spotted Bower-bird ( Clilainxdodcra //laculata) is a fine speciesinhabiting the arid and dry interior provinces, being especially at home The Bower-birds of Australia 137 on sandy pine ridges or when the myall and brigalow (species ofacacias) flourish. This bird derives its name from the beautiful spotted markings ofits plumage, which is of various shades of brown. The male wears onthe back of the neck a band, or frill, of a most exquisite shade ofrose-pink — a rare color in birds and only occurring in one otherspecies (not a Bower-bird) in Australia. The Spotted Bower-bird hasa harsh, scolding note, but it is not generally known that it is anaccomplished mocking bird and can mimic the vocality of many birdsof the bush, barking of dogs, etc.
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NEST AND EGGS OF THE REGENT-BIRD A farmer friend related to me an amusing story regarding themimicry of a Spotted Bower-bird. His neighbor had been drivingcattle to a given place and on his way back discovered a nest in aprickly needle-brush (hakea). In threading the needle-like branchesafter the ncst he thought he heard cattle breaking through the scruband the barking of dogs in the distance, and at once fancied his cattlehad broken away, but could see no signs of anything wrong. Heheard other peculiar noises, and glancing at his dog as much as tosay, What does that mean? he saw the sagacious animal withhead partly upturned, eyeing a Bower-bird perched in the next tree. The nest is somewhat loosely constructed of twigs, and is usuallyplaced in a thick bush or amongst the forked branches of a small tree. 138 Bird-Lore The eggs (two or three) are beautifully and wonderfully marked,greatly resembling those of the Regent-bird shown in the illus-tration. During a trip towards the interior

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