THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA, 299 



a wide band of white, and is tipped with a narrow one at 

 its free extremity ; there is also a white patch on the centre 

 of each wing ; the bill is black, and the eye a clear yellow. 



Tasmanian Piping Crow. — Does not differ greatly 

 from its relatives on the mainland, except in point of 

 size, for it is much larger than the Australian magpie, 

 nearly equalling in dimensions the common English rook. 

 It is a very hardy bird, and will live for a number of 

 years in confinement, affording its owner or guardian a 

 good deal of cheap amusement by its curious artful-simple 

 ways. 



When a tame crow is surrounded and attacked by a 

 number of wild ones, it throws itself on its back, and 

 lights with bill and claws ; but when it finds this mode of 

 self-defence insufficient, it will suddenly jump up and begin 

 to swear at its assailants in the most "colonial" fashion, 

 a ruse that always has the effect of immediately dispersing 

 its foes. 



THE MENURA. 



The Menura, or Lyre Bird of Soutii-Eastern Australia 

 is perhaps one of the most remai'kable of the many 

 strange birds that are to be met with in the great island- 

 continent, for although about the size of a farm-3'ard 

 pullet, it is really a wren, and has a tail like the musical 

 instrument used by the Greek poetess Sappho, which tail 

 consists of two broad feathers, that have an outward curve 

 at their free extremities ; they are barbed heavily on their 

 inner aspect, and more slightly on the outer one, and 

 from between them spring twelve or fourteen light, grace- 

 ful plumes, almost like in construction to those of the 

 emerald bird of paradise, but that they are of stiffer habit, 



