NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 19 



The Secretary showed a collection of rock specimens from Arran, 

 forwarded by Mr. James Napier, F.R.S.E., reading some accom- 

 panying notes in reference to their occurrence and composition, also 

 some specimens from a sandstone quarry at Fallside, near Bothwell, 

 and drawings of a split granite boulder at the shore near Corrie, 

 called the Sugarloaf from its shape. Mr. John Young explained 

 the character of the various specimens, on which other members 

 made some remarks. 



The Chairman exhibited specimens of the Glossy Ibis, Ibis 

 faldnellus, Lin., and the Esquimeaux Curlew, Numenms borealis, 

 Forst., lately obtained in Aberdeenshire, and made some remarks 

 regarding them in reference to migration. 



PAPERS READ. 



I. — Notes on the Lyre-bird (Menura superba) Davies, of Australia. 

 By Mr. C. W. Arnott Stewart. Communicated by Mr. John A. 

 Harvie-Brown, F.R.S.E., V.P. 



Supposing that the habits of the Australian Lyre-bird were well 

 known, I did not pay the attention I might have done to what I 

 heard, especially in connection with the nest, so that about this 

 part of the subject I am not very certain. The egg I sent you was, 

 I believe, laid in the Spring of the year 1878, that is about 

 September or October. It is one of two that I found in the 

 possession of a Mrs. Jefferson, of Fernshaw, in Victoria. The other 

 egg was darker and not so well marked, and more rounded at the nar- 

 row end than this one, but, being slightly cracked, and Mrs. Jefferson 

 not wishing to part with both, I chose the more perfect one. 



This egg, she told me, was found on the side of a hill, not far 

 from the little town ; the nest was built not more than three feet 

 above the ground, and, I believe, in the fork formed by two 

 branches of a fallen tree. It was made of twigs, with an arch of 

 the same material over it, resembling the broad handle of a basket. 

 She had sent two of such nests, one to the museum at Hobart 

 Town, Tasmania, the other to that of Melbourne, with full 

 particulars of how they were to be set up ; but, greatly to her 

 disgust, no heed had been taken of her descriptions, and the handle- 

 like covering had been allowed to sink down and fall out of place. 

 Mrs. Jefferson told me that the Lyre-bird only laid two eggs in the 

 year, and that the second was not laid till after the first had been 



