Animal life in the sea and on the land (1887) (14594036308)

Bower-bird
Identifier: animallifeinseao00coop (find matches)
Title: Animal life in the sea and on the land
Year: 1887 (1880s)
Authors: Cooper, Sarah. (from old catalog)
Subjects: Zoology
Publisher: New York, Harper & brothers
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress



Text Appearing Before Image:
Fig. 210.—BIRD-OF-PARADISE. mistaken notion of olden times that these birds have no legs, that they suspend themselves by their long feathers, and that they never touch the earth while alive. 14. The Bower-bird.—Another interesting bird of the Eastern Hemisphere is the bower-bird of Australia. Its chief peculiarity consists in the curious bowers which it builds of closely interwoven branches and twigs, drawn together so as to meet at the top. The entrance is brushed perfectly clean, and decorated with bright pebbles, shells, feathers, little bleached skeletons, 310 ANIMAL LIFE IN THE SEA AND ON THE LAND.
Text Appearing After Image:
Fig. 211.—Play-house of Bower-bird. and other ornamental articles, some of which must evidently have been carried for a long distance. These bowers are entirely separate from their nests, and are used only as play-grounds, where a festive throng assembles, apparently to exhibit their charms to the birds whose affections they hope to win. The males strut up PERCHING-BIRDS. 311 and down in a stately fashion, and do their best to display their fine forms and graceful movements to the females that are quietly looking on. 15. The Shrike.—The shrike, or butcher-bird, as it is often called, has a singular habit of hanging small birds, mice, and insects upon the thorns .^L /dfe. and twigs of trees, as a means of preserving them for future use, having captured more prey than it can possibly eat atone time. 16. Wrens. —Then there are the wrens—busy, fussy little creatures, hopping about our bird-boxes with tails erect, and fight-ing and scolding other birds that are thought to be trespassing upon their