Page:Bird-lore Vol 01.djvu/364

 136 Bird- Lore about twelve feet from the ground, in a shrubby tree or bush, is loosely constructed of twigs, leaves, etc. The curious play house, or 'lover's arbor,' is built upon the ground. It has apparently no connection with the nests, which may be any distance away. One of these bowers I collected in Gippsland, Christmas-tide, 1884. It was situated amongst brackens in open forest. There was a cleared circular space about twent}-six inches across, in the ferns, floored with twigs well trodden down. In the center were erected two parallel walls of pliable twigs, tapering and arch- BOWER OF THE SATIN-BIRD Photographed from nature by D. Le S-uei ing towards the top, which was twelve inches in height. The walls were ten inches long and six inches apart. In the avenue and roundabout were placed gay feathers of Parrots. It is strange that the builders of so neat a structure should construct a slovenly made nest. It has been ascertained that more than one pair of birds frequent the same bower, which is really a 'lovers' bower' — a rendezvous for match- making. The illustration of a Satin-bird's bower /// situ is from a photo- graph by my friend Mr. D Le Souef. The Spotted Bower-bird ( Clilainxdodcra //laculata) is a fine species inhabiting the arid and dry interior provinces, being especially at home