The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-12-09
Cur @lio.
Bower Birds.

Perhaps the whole range of ornithology
does not produce more singular phenome-
non than the fact of bird building house
merely for amusement, and decorating it
with brilliant objects as if to mark its des-
tination. Such proceeding marks great
progress in civilization, even among human
races. The savage, pure and simple, has
no notion of undergoing more labor than
can be avoided, and thinks that setting his
wives to build hut is quite as much labor
as he chooses to endure.
The native Australians have no places of
amusement. They will certainly dance
their corrobory in one part of the forest in
preference to another, but merely because
the spot happens to be suitable without the
expenditure of manual labor. The Bush
man has no place of resort, neither has the
much farther advanced Zulu Kaffr Even
the New Zealander, who is the most favor
able example of a savage, does not erect a
building merely for the purpose of amuse-
ment, and would perhaps fail to compre-
hend that such an edifce could be needed.
Such task is left to the civilized races,
and it is somewhat startling to find that in
erecting ballroom, or even IN assembly,
room, or any similar building, we have been
long anticipated by bird which was un-
known until within the last few years.
Truly, nothing is new under the sun.
The ballroom or "bower," which this
bird builds, is very remarkable erection.
The method by which it is constructed can
only be learned by watching the feathered
architect at work Fortunately there are
several specimens of this bird at the Zoolog-
ical Gardens, and [ have often been much
interested in seeing the bird engaged in its
labors.
Whether it works smartly or not in its
native land I cannot say, but it certainly
does not hurry itself in this country. 1t
begins by weaving tolerable firm platform
of small twigs, which looks as if the bird
had been trying to make doormat and had
nearly succeeded. 1t then looks for some
long and rather slender twigs, and pushes
their bases into the platform, working them
tightly into its substance, and giving them
such an inward inclination that, when they
are fixed at opposite sides of the platform,
their tips cross each other, and form simple
arch. As these twigs are not along the
platform on both sides, the bird gradually
makes an arched alley, extending variably
both in length and height.
When the bower is completed, the read
er may well ask the use to which it can be
put. 1t is not nest, and I believe that
the real nest of this bird has not yet been
discovered. 1t serves as an assembly-room
in which a number of birds take their
amusement. Not only do the architects
use it, but many birds of both sexes resort
to it, and continually run through and round
it, chasing one another in a very sportive
fashion.
While they are thus amusing themselves,
they utter curious, deep, and rather re-
sonant note. Indeed my attention was first
attracted to the Bower Bird by this note.
One day, as I was passing the great aviary
in the Geological Gardens, was startled
by a note with which 1 was quite unac-
quainted, and which I thought must have
issued from the mouth of parrot. Pres
emily, however, saw very glossy bird, of
a deep purple hue, running about, and oc-
casionally uttering the sound which had at
tracted me. Soon it was evident that this
was Bower Bird engaged in building the
assembly-room, and after little while he
became reconciled to my presence, and pro-
ceeded with his work. He went about it
in leisurely and reflective manner, taking
plenty of time over his work, and disdain-
ing to hurry himself
First he would go off to the further end
of the compartment, and there inspect a
quantity of twigs which had been put there
for his use. Alter contemplating them for
some time, he would take up twig and
then drop it as if it were too hot to hold.
Perhaps he would repeat this process six
or seven times with the same twig, and
then suddenly pounce on another, weigh it
once or twice in his beak, and carry it off
When he reached the bower he still kept
up his leisurely character, for he would per-
ambulate the floor for some minutes, with
a twig still in his beak, and then, perhaps,
would lay it down, turn in another direc-
ton, and look as if he had forgotten about
it. Sooner or later, however, the twig was
fixed, and then he would run through the
bower several times, utter his loud cry, and
start off for another twig
Ornament is also employed by the Bower
Bird, both entrances of the bower being
decorated with bright and shining objects.
The bird is not in the least fastidious about
the article with which it decorates its bower,
provided that they shine and are conspicu-
GUS. Scraps of colored ribbon, shells, bits
of paper, teeth, bones, broken glass and
china, feathers, and similar articles, are in
great request, and such other objects as a
ladys thimble, tobacco-pipe, and toms-
hawk have been found near one of their
bowers. Indeed. whenever the natives lose
any small and tolerably portable object, they
always search the bowers of the neighbor-
hood, and frequently find that the missing
article is doing duty as decoration to the
edifce. AS is the case with many birds,
the adult male is very different from the
young male and the female iu his coloring.
His plumage is rich, deep purple, SO deep,
indeed, as to appear black when the bird is
standing in the shade. 1t is of close text
ure, and glossy, as if made of satin, present.
ing lovely appearance when the bird runs
about in the sunbeams. The specific name,
hozo-ser1ce,ts, is composed of two Greek
words, signifying all silken, and is very ap-
propriate to the species. The female is moi
in the least like the male, her plumage being
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