hie attention of the bied being arrested by the apparent intrusion of another

the bushes, when t ‘ce of the gunz if the bird be hidden from view by the

aaa attracted within the ran

val sound, as a shrill whistle, will generally induce him to show himself for

purzoumaline bcc ‘ay and sprightly air upon some neighbouring branch to as.
eer i 2 ee ria i this crcuristance immediately freee :
certain the ease of i arn arnt So totaly diferent is the shooing of this bird to anything
pr aet ‘ he ti ara most expert shot would have but little chance until well experienced in the
eas the naked black, whose noiseless and gliding steps enable him to steal upon it unheard and

nn 1 aun ia his hand he rarely allows it to escape, and in many instances he will even

tunperceived, and with
Kill it with his own weapons.

‘The Lyre-bird is of a wandering dispos
ae nie fosh care end tolthe other; from mountala-top tothe botion ofl taser am

ition, and although it probably keeps to the same brush, it is eon

rose steep and ragged sides present no obstacle to its long legs and powerful muscular thighs; itis ako

capable of performing extraordinary leaps; and I hi
: H It appears to be of solitary habits, as T have never seen more than a pair

ce heard it stated that it will spring ten feet perpen-

dieularly from the ground

together, and these only in a si
a sidity, apparently in play, pausing every now and then to utter their loud shrill

horizontally, as they always do when running quickly

in which this great organ could be conveniently borne at

instance; they were both males, and were chasing each other round
and round with extreme rap
calls: while thus employed they carried the

through the bush, that being the only posit ’ ;
Among its many curious habits, the only one at all approaching to those of the Gallinaceee is

small round hillocks, which are constantly visited during the day, and upon which the male

that of formin
is continually trampling, at the same time ereeting and spreading out its tail in the most gracef
‘various ries, sometimes pouring forth his natural notes, at others mocking those of other birds,

and even the howling of the native dog or Dingo. ‘The early morning and the evening are the periods
when it is most animated and active

It may truly be said that all the beauty of this bird lies in the plumage of his tail, the new feathers of
which appear in February or March, but do not attain their full beauty and perfection until James during
this and the four succeeding months it is in its finest state; after this the feathers are gradually shed, to
be resumed again at the period abovestated. Tam led to believe that they are all assumed simultaneously,
by the fact of a native having brought to my camp a specimen with a tail not more than six inches long,
the feathers of which were in embryo, and all of the same length, Upon reference to my journal I find
the following notes upon the subject:—“ Mar. 14, Liverpool range. Several Menuras Killed today: their
tails not so fine as they will be.” “Oct. 25.—I find this bird is now losing its tailfeathers 5 and, judging
from appearances, they will be all shed in a fortnight.”

Although upon one occasion I forced this bird to take wing, it was merely for the purpose of descending
a gully, and Tam led to believe that it seldom exerts this power unless under similar circumstances. It
is particularly partial to traversing the trunks of fallen trees, and frequently attains a considerable altitude
by leaping from branch to branch. Independently of its loud fall call, which may be heard reverberating
over the gullies to the distance of at least a quarter of a mile, it possesses an inward and varied song, the
lower notes of which can only be heard when you have successfully approached to within a few yards of
the bird during the time it is singing. ‘This animated strain is frequently discontinued abruptly, and again
commenced with a low, inward, snapping noise, ending with an imitation of the loud and full note of the
Satin Bird, and always accompanied with a tremulous motion of the tail.

‘The food of the Mena appears to consist principally of insects, particularly centipedes and eoleoptera
Talso found the remains of shelled snails in the gizzard, which is very strong and muscula

Tregret that circumstances did not admit of my acquiring a perfect knowledge of the nidification of

this very singular bird; I never found the nest but once, and this unfortunately was after the br

season was overs but all those of whom I made inquiries respecting it, agreed in assuring me that its

cither placed on the ledge of a projecting rock, at the base of a tree, or on the top of a stump, but always

near the ground and a cedar cutter whom I met in the brushes informed me that he had once found a
nest. which, to use his own expression, was “built like that of a magpie,” adding that it contained but
one egg, and that upon his visiting the nest again some time afterwards he found in it a newly-hatched

young, which was helpless and destitute of the power of vision. ‘The natives state that the ees are two

in number, of a Tight colour, freckled with spots of red. ‘The nest seen by myself, and to which my attention

was drawn by my black companion Natty, was placed on the prominent point of a rock, in a situation

quite secluded from observation behind, but affording the bird a commanding view and easy retreat in front 5

it was deep and shaped like a basin, and had the appearance of having heen roofed; was of a large siz,

formed outwardly of sticks, and lined with the inner bark of trees and fibrous roots

General plumage brown the secondary wing.feathers nearest the body, and the outer webs of the
upper tail-coverts tinged with rufous chin and
much richer during the breeding. eee

remainder rich rufous browns
3 ront of the throat rufou

season all the under surface brownish
vent upper surface of the tail blackish

temal web of the outer feather 5

ash-colour, becoming paler on the

the inner webs of these feathers fine rufous, crossed b erous bands,
which at first appear of a darker tint fey rane a
st ape ofa darker Sint, but on close inspection prove to be pescip ramparens the man

of the inuer web and tips black; bill and nostrils black; ides blackish brows bare space round the eye

blackish lead-colours legs and feet black, the se

ales mealy
The female differs in w.

‘anting the singularly formed tail, and in having the :
extensive and less brilliantly coloured, ; rates me ter ies sos ald

The Plate represents the two sexes, about half the natural si