MENURA. 327 



in a rarely frequented gully in the Dandenong Ranges. Can we gather from this that the birds 

 when unmolested are by no means so shy as they are usually said to be ? On two occasions I 

 have noticed the cocks crossing the track quite close to me." 



Four eggs, selected to show how they vary in shape and size, measure as follows : — Length 

 (A) 2'55 X 176 inches; (6)2-33 ^ 1-62 inches; (0)2-48 x i-6 inches; (D), an abnormally 

 elongated specimen, 2-73 x 1-64 inches. 



The nests and eggs of Queen Victoria's Lyre-bird cannot be distinguished from those of the 

 preceding species. It breeds during the coldest months of the year, commencing in May and 

 continuing through the four following months. One of Mr. Gabriel's friends at Bayswater obtained 

 an egg as early as the loth June, 1902. I found eggs in July and August in the Strzelecki 

 Ranges, and Mr. Gabriel records in his notes taking one as late as the 22nd September. Many 

 years ago the most successful collector I knew of, Mr. Ernest Pakenham, while engaged at a 

 survey camp, obtained near the Black Spur no less than six eggs of this species in one day. 

 Frequently in South-eastern New South Wales, and sometimes in Victoria, the nests of this 

 species are found crushed in with the weight of snow. In the former State the peaks of the 

 mountain ranges it frequents are snow-capped all the year round. 



Menura alberti. 



PRINCE ALBERT'S LYRE-BIRD. 



Alemira alberti, Goald, Froc. hinn. Soc, 1850, p. 67; id., Handbk. Bds. Austr., Vol. I., p. 307 

 (1865); id., Bds. Austr., fol. Vol. Suppl., pi. 19 (1869); Sharps, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. 

 XIII., p. 062 (1890) ; id., Hand-1. Bds., Vol. IIL, p. 3 (1901). 



Adult male — Resembles the adult male 0/ Menura superba, but has the upper surface chestnut, 

 which is richer on the rump and upper tail-coverts ; the head and neck dark slaty-grey ; throat 

 chestnut; breast and abdomen ashy, washed with chestnut; tail black above, slaty-black beneath 

 washed with chestnut, the exterior feather shortest and not lyriform in shape, and destitute of notches 

 or markings on the inner tveb. Total length S3 inches, wing 10, older tail feather 13, filainentous 

 feathers in the centre 19, tarsus 4'4- 



Adult female — Similar in plumage to the male, but differs in having all the tail feathers 

 broadly webbed. 



Distribution — North-eastern New South Wales, South-eastern Queensland. 



T^^RINCE Albert's Lyre-bird is the smallest and least attractive species of the genus, but 

 -L its comparative rarity, due to its extremely limited habitat, amply compensates for its 



loss of beauty. Its range is restricted to that belt of dense and luxuriant tropical vegetation lying 

 between the Richmond River, in New South Wales, and almost the extreme south-eastern portion 

 of Queensland. Thus, it will be seen, each part of South-eastern Australia is inhabited by a 

 species of Lyre-bird peculiarly its own. The present species occupying the northern limit of 

 their range, the common and oldest discovered Lyre-bird the intermediate region, and Queen 

 Victoria's Lyre-bird the extreme south-eastern boundary. 



One of the earliest procured specimens of Prince Albert's Lyre-bird was sent to London by 

 the Trustees of the Australian Museum, at the request of their colleague, the late Dr. George 

 Bennett, who took a great interest in the additions being made to the fauna of Australia. Mr. 

 Gould, who described this species, was also indebted to Dr. Bennett and his friends for information 

 relative to its habits. That its powers of mimicry, however, exceeds that of M. superba, has not 



