CHLAMYDODERA NUCHALIg

(Jard, & Selby),
Western Lilac-naped Bower-bird.

Ptilonorhynchus nuchalis, Jard. & Selby, Ilustr. Orn. ii. pl. 102 (1820).

Calodera nuchalis, Gould, Syn. B. Austr. pt. i. (1837).

Chlamydera nuchahs, Gould, B. Austr. pt. i. (cancelled).—Id. Op. cit. iv. pl. ix
Austr. ii. p. 97 (1846).—Gray, Gen. B. ii, Pp: 235 2

(1846 -—Bonap.
(1850).—Jacq. et Pucher. Voy. Péle Sud, texte, iii. ) ap. Consp. Ay,

apart,

p. 64 (1853).—Gr; ae :
no. 4339 (1869). )—Gray, Hand-l. B. i p, 294,

Chlamydere a nuque ornée, Hombr. et Jacq. Voy. Péle Sud, Atlas, pl. vii. fig, 2 (1849-53),

Chiamydodera nuchalis, Cab. Mus. Hein. Th. i. p. 212 (1851).—Gould,
(1865).—Elliot, Monogr. Parad. pl. xxxi. (1873).—Masters,
p. 273 (1878).—Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. vi. p. 391
N.S. W. (2) ii. p. 169 (1888).—Id. Tab. List Austr.
Club, iv. p. xiv (1894),

Ptilorhynchus nuchalis, Schl. Mus. Pays-Bas, Coraces, p. 119 (1867).

Handb. B. Austr. i. p. 448
coca kininase IN, SW

resell (1888).—Sharpe, Bull. Brit. Orn.

 

Tuis species and its eastern ally are distinguished from Chlamydodera maculata and its
more uniform upper surface, the feathers being margined with ashy-whitish or h
at the ends, the throat and sides of the body being perfectly uniform.

It was first described by Jardine and Selby, and Dr. Ramsay (Tab. List Austr. B. p- 10) believes that
the original specimen must have been found ‘in North-western Australia, probably during Leichardt’s
Expedition, probably by Gilbert or Elsey, near Port Essington.” In the same book Dr. Ramsay gives the
distribution of C. nuchalis as the Derby district in N.W. Australia, Port Darling and Port Essington, and
the Gulf of Carpentaria.

aving white tips or bars

Gould writes in 1865, in his ‘ Handbook’ :—This fine species was first described and figured in the
‘Illustrations of Ornithology,’ by Sir William Jardine and Mr. Selby, from the then unique specimens
in the collection of the Linnean Society; but neither the part of Australia of which it is a native nor any
particulars relative to its habits were known to those gentlemen. It is now clearly ascertained that it is
an inhabitant of the north-west coast, a portion of the Australian continent that has, as yet, been little
visited. J am indebted for individuals of both sexes to two of the officers of H.MS. ‘Beagle,’
Messrs. Bynoe and Dring; but neither of these gentlemen furnished me with any account of its
economy.

“The following passage from Captain Stokes’s ‘ Discoveries in Australia’ (vol. ii. p. 97) comprises
all that has been recorded respecting the curious bower constructed by this bird :-—

“<1 found matter for conjecture in noticing a number of twigs with their ends stuck in the ground,
which was strewed over with shells, and their tops brought together so as to form a small bower; this
was 22 feet long, 14 foot wide at either end. It was not until my next visit to Port Essington that I
thought this anything but some Australian mother’s toy to amuse her child; upon being ee one day,
to go and see the ‘ birds’ playhouse,’ J immediately recognized the same kind of construction I had seen
at the Victoria River, and found the bird amusing itself by flying backwards and forwards, taking a shell
alternately from each side, and carrying it through the archway in its mouth.’ ” ee

The following descriptions are copied from my sixth volume of the ‘ Catalogue of Birds ’:—

Adult male. General colour above ashy brown, the feathers being dark brown edged with ashy
brown, these margins being very Bistinet and broad on the rump and ee Oa ue
latter having indications of a sub-terminal whitish spot as well as the light tip; wing-coverts
dark brown, margined with ashy, and tipped with a whitish spot, which 1s ae “he weet
secondaries; __tail-feathers brown, margined with ashy on both webs, and barre = ae
the tip; head brown, each feather having a minute spot of ashy at the tip; om I

. ee athers, tipped with silvery
band of beautiful lilac feathers, fringed with some stiffened brown feathers, ee i ee
whitish ; the nuchal band from the mantle; Ss

broader on the

hind neck uniform ashy brown, separating

(1841).—Stokes, Discov.

ii.
(1881).—Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soe.

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