NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 515 



We were then transliippod into a lighter conveyance drawn by one 

 horse. By the light from tlie zenith of a three-quarter moon wc bowled 

 meiTily through tlie forest, and the mountains were reached in duo 

 course. 



At the coach terminus I was met by a friend, who accompanied 

 mo on foot some two miles into the range. This was the last but by 

 no means tiic least enjoyable jwrtion of my evening's journey, along 

 a lovely moonlit mount.ain track, chequered by shadows of towering 

 gum-trees, while the dense scrub on cither hand .sent forth ai-omatic 

 fragrance which was alike refreshing and invigorating. My friend's 

 good wife had .supper waiting for us. after wliiili we discussed the 

 probabilities of obtxiining Lyre Birds' nests on the morrow. 



At length a beautiful balmy morn (for it h;ui been a mild winter) 

 broke, and was ushered in by the voices of many birds, the cheering 

 pipe of the Magpie, the laughing of the Jackass, clinking notes of the 

 Crow Shrike, with a perfect chonis from numlxn-s of the smaller fi-y — 

 Tlinishes, Thickheads, Acantliiz;i-s, Wrens, itc. 



After breakfast my companion and I started, suitably attired with 

 leggings and so forth, for our mountain scramble. Up the track wc 

 scattered a few beautiful Mountain Thrashes. Wc ascended what 

 1 shall tenn the first gully, a slight indentation on the face of a steep 

 mountain. The course was indicated by ground ferns, tree ferns, and 

 open hazel scrub moderately studded with larger trees. Wlien almost 

 at this gully's source, my companion's joyous call betokened a find of 

 more than ordinary interest. I was a little higher up the ridge. 

 A few long downward strides soon brought me to liis .side, and wc 

 stood gazing upon a much coveted prize, a Menura, or Lyre Bird's 

 nest. The nest was near a crystalline spring, and was cunningly con- 

 cealed in ferns. The back part was placed up gully, while the entrance 

 commanded a downhill view. I roughly sketched the situation, and 

 took dimensions both in and out of the nest, and carefully side-blew 

 the egg. which was much darker than usual. Then, with the assistance 

 of my companion, we removed the nest bodily from its romantic resting- 

 place and sewed it up in a large piece of canvas. The package was no 

 small encumbrance, being about six or seven feet in circumference. My 

 companion, who possessed broader shoulders than I, suggested he should 

 take it down the gidly and deposit it near the track, to be recovered on 

 our return homeward. 



Flushed with such early success, we hastened our steps across the 

 face of the moimtain and entered a second gully richly gi'own with 

 ground ferns and with more dog or blanket wood than the previous one. 

 I still elected to beat uphill, while my companion kept below. Good 

 fortune favoured mc this time. I discovered the second nest in a 

 voi-y similar position to the former one, but slightly smaller and more 

 compact, and the egg was more beautiful and lighter in colour, 



Tlie third gully brought us to very slippery gi-ound, and at times 

 wc had much difficulty in retaining our footing. Wc beat tins 

 gidly to its source, and emerged on the summit of the range. Travelling 

 along its crest for some distance we made a dip to the right into a 

 hollow. Tliis, the fourth gullv, was not so steep, and was a somewhat 



