Part 27

The Diamond Bird is found throughout the whole of Southern Australia, from east to west, and is still numerously met with in Van Diemen's Land. Trees and bushes are its favourite resorts, and in search of these it ventures freely into the gardens of the settlers, where it speedily attracts attention by the activity it displays in gleaning its insect fare from the leaves and branches, and by the constant repetition of its very pleasing piping note, composed of two syllables, which have been freely translated by the German settlers into the words, "Wie tief, wie tief." The most striking peculiarity, however, in this beautiful little bird is the strange manner in which it builds, the nest being placed not in hollow trees, but in holes excavated by the brooding pairs in the ground, generally on the side of some steep declivity. These excavations form galleries, or passages, usually from two to three feet long, and at their mouth are just large enough to allow the bird to pass through, whilst the lower end is made much wider, for the reception of the nest, and so raised as to insure safety from the entrance of rain. The chamber for the accommodation of the young is of a round shape, about three inches in diameter, with an entrance hole in its side. This apartment is most beautifully formed of scraps from the bark of the gum-trees, woven together with a perfection of neatness that cannot fail to astonish all who see it, if they consider that the labour of its construction is carried on entirely in the dark; the Diamond Bird affording, in this respect, a very striking contrast to such other members of the feathered creation as build under similar circumstances, their nests being, almost without exception, a mere heap of materials thrown loosely and carelessly together, without the slightest attempt at shapeliness, or endeavour to arrange the heterogeneous mass. Gould was fortunate enough to discover a number of these nests, notwithstanding the care taken by the Diamond Birds to excavate only in such localities as are completely overgrown with plants or the roots of trees. The brood consists of four or five round, smooth-shelled eggs, of a pale reddish white. The female lays twice within the year.

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The BALD-HEADED CROWS (_Gymnoderi_) constitute a family generally regarded as nearly allied to the Manakins (_Pipræ_), although differing considerably from the latter in the peculiarity of their habits and the superiority of their size, which varies from that of a Crow to that of a Thrush. The Gymnoderi are recognisable by their powerful body, (in many respects resembling that of a Crow), short neck, moderately long and pointed wings, in which the third quill exceeds the rest in length, and short tail, composed of twelve feathers, and straight at its extremity. The beak varies somewhat in different groups, but is usually flatly compressed both towards the base and at the hooked tip, which is furnished with a slight cavity, for the reception of the end of the lower mandible. The gape extends very far back, nearly to beneath the eyes. The feet, though short and strong, are only fitted for perching, and are seldom employed as means of progression. The plumage is thick, compact, and composed of large feathers, but differs so considerably in different species as to render a general description impossible. In all the members of this family the windpipe is very wide, and furnished on each side with a delicate layer of muscular fibres.

The Bald-headed Crows inhabit the forests of South America, and subsist entirely, or almost entirely, upon juicy fruit. In disposition they are indolent, possessed of but little intelligence, and extremely shy. Some few species are rarely heard to utter a note; but they are, for the most part, remarkable for the loudness of their voice, by which their presence is readily detected.

THE CAPUCHIN BIRD.

The CAPUCHIN BIRD, or BALD FRUIT CROW (_Gymnocephalus calvus_), represents one of the most remarkable of the groups into which the family of Gymnoderi is divided. The body of this species much resembles that of a Crow, with some slight variation in the different members; that is to say, the beak is considerably flatter, the feet shorter and stronger, and the toes comparatively much longer than in that bird. The slightly-pointed wings extend to the middle of the short tail; the region of the beak, bridles, and eyes, the brow, the top of the head, and the throat, are bare, and along the cheek-stripes are four stiff bristles. The plumage is compact, of a reddish brown colour, shaded with olive-green upon the back; the quills and tail-feathers are blackish brown, the secondaries tinted with red; the upper wing-covers are greenish brown; the face, beak, and feet black; and the eyes dark brown; the bare portions of the face are slightly strewn with bristles; in the young these bristles are replaced by a whitish down, and the entire plumage varies considerably, not only from that of the adult birds, but in different individuals. The body of this species measures sixteen, the wing nine, and the tail four inches.

We are almost entirely without particulars as to the habits of these remarkable birds, except that they live in pairs in the depths of the forests of Guiana and North Brazil, and are rarely met with at an altitude of more than 1,200 feet above the level of the sea. Fruits appear to constitute their principal nourishment; and when not engaged in satisfying the calls of hunger, the couples are usually to be seen perched side by side upon a branch. Their cry, which resembles the bleating of a calf, is uttered, according to Schomburghk, at regular intervals.

THE UMBRELLA BIRD.

The UMBRELLA BIRD, or UMBRELLA CHATTERER (_Cephalopterus ornatus_), is one of the most extraordinary of birds, as far as regards the singular ornaments with which it has been provided. It is about the size of a Crow, and the whole of its plumage being of a deep black it has a good deal of the corvine character in its aspect. Its head is adorned with a large and spreading crest, which appears intended to act as a parasol: this crest is composed of long, slender feathers, rising from a contractile skin on the top of the head; the shafts are white, and the plumes glossy blue, hair-like, and curved outwards at the tips. When the crest is laid back the shafts form a compact white mass, sloping up from the back of the head, and surmounted by the dense hairy plumes. Even in this position it is not an inelegant ornament, but when fully opened its peculiar character is developed. The shafts then radiate on all sides from the top of the head, reaching in front beyond and below the tip of the beak, which is thus completely concealed from view. The crest forms a slightly elongated dome, of a beautiful shining blue colour, having a point of divergence rather behind the centre, like that in the human head. The length of this dome from front to back is about five inches, the breadth from four inches to four and a half. As if this remarkable crest was not enough to distinguish the bird amongst its fellows, it is likewise furnished with a second singular ornament, resembling which nothing is to be found in the feathered creation. This is a long cylindrical plume, depending from the middle of the neck, and carried either close to the breast, or puffed out and hanging down in front, the feathers lapping over each other like scales, and bordered with fine metallic blue. On examining this plume, it is found not to be composed of feathers only; the skin of the neck is very loose, and from the lower part grows a long, fleshy process, about as thick as a Goose's quill, and an inch and a half long, to which the feathers are attached, thus producing a beautiful tassel depending from the breast, and forming an appendage as unique and elegant as the crest itself.

The plumage of this strange bird is of an almost uniform black; the feathers on the mantle edged with dark greenish black; the crest is blackish blue; the quills and tail-feathers deep black. All the small feathers have white shafts; the eye is grey; the upper mandible blackish brown, the lower greyish brown, and the feet pale black. The length of this species is about nine inches and a half; the wing measures eleven inches and three lines.

The Umbrella Birds are inhabitants of Peru, where they particularly frequent the precipices on the eastern side of the Cordilleras, to an altitude of 3,000 feet above the sea; and from thence are met with as far as Rio Negro, and the boundaries of Chile. They associate in small flocks, which subsist principally upon fruit of various kinds, and live almost entirely at the summits of lofty trees. Their remarkable cry, which resembles the lowing of a cow, is most frequently heard just before sunrise and after sunset. We are entirely without particulars as to their nidification and manner of breeding.

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The BELL BIRDS (_Chasmarhynchus_)--so called from the resemblance of their voices to a muffled bell--constitute a group with whose habits we are much more familiar. Their body is compact, and about as large as that of a Pigeon. The wings, in which the third and fourth quills exceed the rest in length, are long, and extend as far as the centre of the tail: the latter is slightly rounded at its tip. The beak is about half as long as the head, and so much depressed as to be far broader than it is high; the upper mandible is slightly arched, and curves somewhat at its tip, behind which is a small tooth-like appendage. The gape is remarkably large. The tarsi are short, and the toes long. The thick plumage is composed of small feathers, and takes the form of bristles in the region of the beak, which is also furnished with very remarkable fleshy appendages resembling those possessed by the Turkey. The coloration of the feathers varies very considerably, not only in the four species that compose the group, but in the different sexes.

THE BARE-NECKED BELL BIRD.

The BARE-NECKED BELL BIRD (_Chasmarhynchus nudicollis_). This bird, which is called "The Blacksmith" by the Brazilians, is entirely of a pure snow-white, with the exception of the bridles and throat, which are bare and of the colour of verdigris. The eyes are greyish brown, the beak black, and the feet flesh-pink. The length of this species is about ten, and its breadth nineteen inches; the wing measures nine inches and three-quarters, and the tail three inches and a quarter. The female is not quite so large as her mate, she is black upon the throat and top of the head; the upper part of her body is of a siskin-green, the under side yellow, longitudinally spotted with black, and streaked with whitish and yellowish lines upon the throat. The young male resembles the mother until it is one year old, when it acquires white spots, and only in its third year appears in the garb of the adult.

THE ARAPONGA.

The ARAPONGA (_Chasmarhynchus variegatus_) is also white over the greater portion of its body, but the delicate purity of its hue is marred by a slight intermixture of grey. The wings are deep black, and the top of the head pale brown. The front of the throat is bare, but studded with a multitude of small, fleshy, worm-shaped appendages, of a deep brown colour; the beak and feet are black. The plumage of the female is greenish, and on her throat the strange appendages of the male are replaced by feathers.

THE TRUE BELL BIRD.

The TRUE BELL BIRD (_Chasmarhynchus carunculatus_) is entirely snow-white. The male is furnished with a very remarkable wattle at the base of the beak, which is hollow, black, and muscular. When the bird is under the influence of no emotion, this wattle is flaccid and pendent, but when excited he raises and inflates this fleshy horn until it attains a length of about two inches, and a thickness of half an inch at its root. Schomburghk tells us that the female is larger than her mate, but her fleshy lappet is proportionately considerably smaller. The young resemble the mother, and present a very remarkable appearance whilst in their state of transition.

THE THREE WATTLED BELL BIRD.

The THREE-WATTLED BELL BIRD, or HAMMERER (_Chasmarhynchus tricarunculatus_), is furnished with three fleshy lappets, one of which grows above the base of the beak, whilst the two others appear as prolongations of the corners of the mouth. The colour of these lappets, as also of the bill and feet, is blackish; that of the eye, light brownish red. The head and throat of the male are bright chestnut-brown, and the nape and upper part of the breast pure white. The female, whose plumage is olive-green, streaked with a lighter shade on the under side, is entirely without the appendages that distinguish her mate. The young resemble the mother. The length of this species is twelve inches; the wing measures six and a half, and the tail four inches; the lappet on the upper part of the beak is from two inches and a half to three inches long, and those at the corners of the mouth about two inches and a half. In the young the fleshy appendages are mere rudiments.

All the different kinds of Bell Birds above described belong to South America. The Blacksmith inhabits the Brazilian forests, the Araponga is met with in the northern portions of the continent, whilst the True Bell Bird is found in Guiana, and the Hammerer in Costa Rica. As far as is at present ascertained, it would appear that in their habits and mode of life these different species closely resemble each other. The Blacksmith, we are told by the Prince von Wied, is one of the most attractive and beautiful of the many strange occupants of the magnificent forests of Brazil; the dazzling whiteness of its plumage affording a striking contrast to the rich deep hues of the leafy retreats it usually prefers. Its loud clear note is distinctly heard to a very considerable distance, as it rings, bell-like, at regular intervals, through the surrounding silence, or is rapidly repeated with a force and peculiarity of tone that strongly resembles the blows made by a smith upon his anvil. No sooner does one bird commence than all the rest of a party follow suit, and combine their efforts to produce such a concert as must be heard to be appreciated. The Blacksmith also frequently perches upon the very topmost bough of one of the giant trees of the forest, at such a height as to be out of the sportsman's reach, who is thus often compelled to content himself with admiring its snowy plumage, as the bird stands in bold relief against a background of deep blue sky, and ever and anon sounds its metallic note, as though to call attention to its conspicuous position. Waterton speaks with equal enthusiasm of the True Bell Bird, whose voice, he tells us, is heard throughout the entire day, but most frequently at early morning or after sunset. Each tone is followed by a considerable pause, lasting, after the first three notes, for the space of six or eight minutes, when the strange performance recommences, with not more than one minute's interval between the sweet, bell-like sounds, which are often audible at a distance of three miles. As long as the bird is in repose, the fleshy lappets we have described hang downwards, but they are raised and turned in all directions at the instant that the cry is uttered; and, on its cessation, drop at once to their former position. The females generally perch on the lowest branches, but are not easily discovered, owing to their silence, and the greenish hue of their feathers, which enables them to hide securely amid the foliage. Fruits and berries constitute the principal food of this group, and, according to Schomburghk, they also occasionally eat insects. The Bell Birds make their appearance in Demerara and Berbice about May or June, from whence they spread over the face of the country, rarely occupying wooded heights at more than from 1,200 to 1,500 feet above the sea, and never visiting the immediate neighbourhood of the coast. Strange to say, notwithstanding the interest excited in these strange and beautiful occupants of the South American forests, we are still entirely without any particulars as to their breeding, nidification, or powers of enduring life in a cage.

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The THRUSHES (_Turdidæ_) constitute a group that comprises some of the larger birds of the order. Their body is powerful, their neck short, and head large; the bill is straight, compressed at its sides, and slightly incised at the tip of the upper mandible, which curves downwards over the lower portion of the beak. The tarsi are high, and covered with large plates; the toes moderate, armed with very decidedly hooked claws; the wing is of medium length, and contains ten primary quills, of which the third is the longest; the formation of the tail varies considerably; in some cases it is short and rounded, in others long and graduated; but, generally, it is of moderate size, and more or less straight at its extremity; the plumage is thick, usually of some dusky hue, but occasionally brightly coloured.

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The GROUND SINGERS (_Humicolæ_), as the most gifted of the above family have been named, include some of the smaller species of Thrushes, and are recognisable by their comparatively slender bodies short wings, moderate-sized tail, high tarsi, pointed beaks, glossy dark plumage, and expressive eyes. The Ground Singers are entirely confined within the limits of the eastern hemisphere, and make their appearance in Europe with the commencement of spring, leaving again for warmer latitudes at the approach of autumn. They usually prefer woodland regions, more especially such as are well watered, as they there find an abundance of the larvæ, worms, and berries, upon which they mainly subsist. Unlike the groups above described, they glean their food principally from the ground, as they hop over the surface of the soil with the utmost agility, and rarely seek their insect fare upon the trees, from which, however, they pluck ripe berries with much adroitness. From every point of view we must recognise in these birds a very high degree of intelligence, all the senses being well developed, and their sight and hearing particularly good. When upon the wing, their motions are rapid and easy, and as regards their wondrous vocal gifts we need only allude to one member of the group, the Nightingale, the "Queen of Song," to convince our readers that their musical powers are unequalled in the whole feathered creation. In disposition they are vigilant, acute, and lively, ever on the alert against danger, and daring and prompt in encountering a foe. The nests built by the Ground Singers are large, thick, and usually placed in holes among the projecting roots, or in the hollow trunks of trees, also in hedges or other similar situations, but they vary considerably in appearance, according to the species of the builder. The brood consists of from four to seven eggs, which are either of one uniform colour or marked with faint spots. The cares of incubation are undertaken by both parents. The young are at first clad in a speckled plumage, but resemble the adult birds before the end of the first autumn. Most of the members of this delightful group are eminently suited for life in a cage, and become attached to those who rear them.

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The NIGHTINGALES (_Luscinia_) are recognisable by their slender body, strong legs, high tarsi, moderately long wings and tail, the latter of which is rounded at the extremity. The beak is almost straight, and pointed at its tip; the close thick plumage in both sexes is of a reddish grey.

THE NIGHTINGALE.

The NIGHTINGALE (_Luscinia Philomela_)--see Coloured Plate XVIII.--as the species so familiar to us all is called, is reddish grey upon the upper part of the body, the top of the head and the back being of a deeper shade; the under side is light yellowish grey, palest on the throat and near the centre of the breast; the inner webs of the quills are dark brown, and the tail-feathers brownish red. The eye is also brownish red, and the beak and feet reddish grey. In the young birds some of the feathers on the back have light yellow spots on the shafts, and are edged with pale black, thus giving the plumage a speckled appearance. The length of this bird is six inches and a half, and its breadth nine inches and two-thirds; the wing measures three and the tail two inches and three-quarters. The female is slightly smaller than her mate.