person among the bushes, when the attention o f the bird being arrested by the apparent intrusion o f another
of its own sex, it will be attracted within the range Of the gun : if the bird be hidden from view by the
surrounding objects, any unusual sound, as a shrill whistle, will generally induce him to show himself for
an instant, by causing him to leap with a gay and sprightly air upon some neighbouring branch to ascertain
the cause o f the disturbance: advantage must he taken of this circumstance immediately, or the next
moment it may be half-way down the gully. So totally different is the shooting o f this bird to anything
practised in Europe, that the most expert shot would have but little chance until well experienced in the
peculiar nature of the country and the habits o f the bird. The Menura seldom, if ever, attempts to escape
by flight, hut easily eludes pursuit by its extraordinary power of running. None are so efficient in obtaining
specimens as the naked black, whose noiseless and gliding steps enable him to steal upon it unheard and
unperceived, and with a gun in his hand he rarely allows it to escape, and in many instances he will even
kill it with his own weapons.
The Lyre-bird is o f a wandering disposition, and although it probably keeps to the same brush, it is con
stantly engaged in traversing it from one end to the other, from mountain-top to the bottom o f the gullies,
whose steep and rugged sides present no obstacle to its long legs and powerful muscular thighs; it is also
capable o f performing extraordinary leaps; and I have heard it stated that it will spring ten feet perpendicularly
from the ground. It appears to be o f solitary habits, as I have never seen more than a pair
together, and these only in a single instance; they were both males, and were chasing each other round
and round with extreme rapidity, apparently in play, pausing every now and then to utter their loud shrill
calls: while thus employed they carried the tail horizontally, as they always do when running quickly
through the bush, that being the only position in which this great organ could be conveniently borne at
such times. Among its many curious habits, the only one at all approaching to those of the Gallinacece is
that of forming small round hillocks, which are constantly visited during the day, and upon which the male
is continually trampling, at the same time erecting and spreading out its tail in the most graceful manner and
uttering his various cries, sometimes pouring forth his natural notes, at others mocking those of other birds,
and even the howling o f 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 tbis bird lies in the plumage o f his tail, the new feathers of
which appear in February or March, but do not attain their full beauty and perfection until June; 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 above-stated. I am 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 o f which were in embryo, and all of the same length. Upon reference to my journal I find
the following notes upon the s u b j e c t “ 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 tail-feathers ; 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 I am led to believe that it seldom exerts this power unless under similar circumstances. It
is particularly partial to traversing the trunks o f fallen trees, and frequently attains a considerable altitude
by leaping from branch to branch. Independently o f its loud full call, which may be heard reverberating
over the gullies to the distance o f at least a quarter o f 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 o f the loud and full note o f the
Satin Bird, and always accompanied with a tremulous motion o f the tail.
The food of the Menura appears to consist principally o f insects, particularly centipedes and coleóptera;
I also found the remains o f shelled snails in the gizzard, which is very strong and muscular.
I regret that circumstances did not admit o f my acquiring a perfect knowledge o f the nidification of
this very singular bird; I never found the nest but once, and this unfortunately was after the breeding-
season was over; but all those of whom I made inquiries respecting it, agreed in assuring me tliat.it is
either placed on the ledge o f a projecting rock, at the base o f a tree, or on the top o f 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 o f the power of vision. The natives state that the eggs are two
in number, of a light colour, freckled with spots o f red. The nest seen by myself, and to which my attention
was drawn by my black companion Natty, was placed on the prominent point o f a rock, in a situation
quite secluded from observation behind, but affording the bird a commanding view and easy retreat in front;
it was deep and shaped like a basin, and had the appearance o f having been roofed; was of a large size,
formed outwardly o f sticks, and lined with the inner bark o f trees and fibrous roots.
General plumage brown; the secondary wing-feathers nearest the body, and the outer webs o f the
remainder rich rufous brown; upper tail-coverts tinged with rufous; chin and front o f the throat rufous,
much richer during the breeding-season; all the under surface brownish ash-colour, becoming paler on the
vent; upper surface o f the tail blackish brown; under surface silvery grey, becoming very dark on the external
web of the outer feather; the inner webs o f these feathers fine rufous, crossed by numerous bands,
which at first appear of a darker tint, but on close inspection prove to be perfectly transparent; the margin
of the inner web and tips black; bill and nostrils black; irides blackish brown ; bare space round the eye
blackish lead-colour; legs and feet black, the scales mealy.
The female differs in wanting the singularly formed tail, and in having the bare space round the eye less
éxtensive and less brilliantly coloured.
The Plate represents the two sexes, about half the natural size