erably in size, according to the number of
birds resorting to them, for they seem to be joint-stock affairs, and
are not limited to one pair. The bower itself is somewhat difficult to
describe, and a better idea can be formed from the engraving, or by
visiting the British Museum, where several are shown, than I can ever
hope to set before the reader in words. A number of sticks, most
artistically woven together, form the base, from the centre of which
the walls of the structure arise. These walls are made of lighter
twigs, and considerable pains must be taken in their selection, for
they all have an inward curve, which in some "runs" cause the sides
almost to meet at the top. The degree of forethought that these
self-taught architects possess is strikingly exemplified in the fact
that, whilst building the walls, any forks or inequalities are turned
'outwards', so as to offer no impediment to their free passage when
skylarking (if it is not an Irishism, using such an expression with
regard to a starling) and chasing each other through and through the
bower, to which innocent recreations, according to the testimony of
Messrs. Cato and Ferdinand, they devote the major part of their time.
Their love of finery and gaudy colours is also most remarkable.
Interwoven amongst the twigs of which the bower is composed, and
scattered about the ground in its vicinity, are found bleached bones,
broken oyster, snail, and cowrie shells, and not unfrequently, in the
more civilised districts, pieces of coloured rag, and fragments of
ribbon pilfered from some neighbouring station, for, in search of
attractive objects to decorate his playground, the bower-bird entirely
ignores the eighth commandment, and, I fear, justifies the somewhat
strong expression of "d--d thief" which Ferdinand bestowed on him.
Indeed, so well are his filching propensities known to the natives,
that they make a practice of searching the runs whenever any small
article of value is missing, and often succeed in recovering the lost
object.

I find that I have been using the pronoun 'he' hitherto, whilst
describing this insatiable love of finery, but on reflection I cannot
but think that I am utterly wrong, and that when more is known of the
domestic arrangements of the bower-bird, it will be found that the lady
alone is responsible for this meretricious taste, and that the poor
'he', whom I have so unblushingly accused, is in reality gathering
berries and fruit for t