66 KiTSON, Notes on the Victoria Lvre-Bird. \ ??'"" 



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Oct. 



20 and 30 male and female Lyre- Birds on the stunted snow gums 

 {E. pauciHora) on the high ridge running from Feathertop and 

 separating the Ovens River from Snowy Creek. They were at an 

 altitude of about 5,700 feet, and near the timber line. It was 

 nearly sunset when I was surprised to hear a medley of melodious 

 sounds, as if all the birds of the bush were singing their best and 

 loudest. Being alone and on foot, I was in their midst before they 

 noticed me, but to my surprise they not only remained jumping 

 about the trees, or with heads inclined watched me from the 

 branches, but many of them continued their unsurpassable mimicry 

 of other forest birds. I regretted that approaching darkness did 

 not allow me to stay and watch them longer. At altitudes of 

 from 5,000 feet to the timber line I have seen these birds, or 

 evidence of them, on the high Gibbo Range, Mt. Wild Boar, Mt. 

 Bogong, Mt. Stirling in Benambra, Victoria, and on the high 

 timbered spurs of Mt. Kosciusko, N.S.W.* Once, when camped, 

 on 20th March, 1896, on the summit of Mt. Wild Boar, at an 

 altitude of over 5,000 feet, I was awakened shortly after sunrise 

 by beautiful and spirited whistling outside the tent entrance. On 

 jumping up I found a male bird peering into the tent from a branch 

 only a few feet away. After putting the camera together as hastily 

 as circumstances permitted I had the mortification of seeing the 

 bird glide away into the thick scrub just as I was about to take 

 the photograph. Mr. Bainbridge informs me that he has heard 

 during the winter a Lyre-Bird whistling on Mount Buffalo, at 

 an altitude of 3,500 feet, and quite close to snow. 



Lyre-Birds are very inquisitive when found in districts or places 

 where they have not been molested by man. On passing through 

 such country one is sometimes escorted for some distance by these 

 birds, which pass from tree to tree along the line of march. I have 

 been informed by Messrs. W. Baragwanath, jun., and J. Easton, 

 that once when they were surveying a line on the flanks of Mt. 

 Baw Baw a female bird came close up to the chain, watched it 

 intently, and followed it as it was dragged along. Every time they 

 made a noise the bird gave the well known alarm whistle and darted 

 into the scrub, to return almost immediately and repeat these 

 tactics for some time. On another occasion, in a creek near Mt. 

 Useful, a male bird viewed them from blackwood trees 60-70 feet 

 high, and disappeared only after several sticks had been thrown 

 at him. On other occasions they have brought these birds close 

 up to themselves by whistling the birds' own notes, in the same 

 way that the King Lory can be decoyed. 



Unlike some of the native birds, which give their songs at certain 

 times through the day, Lyre-Birds may be heard in their haunts 

 any time from dawn till dusk, regardless of the nature of the 



* Hitherto Meiiura victoria has been recorded for Victoria only, but it is natural to 

 suppose that the same species is found in the ranges extending over the border of 

 New -South Wales. It is probable that the M. superba\?,r\o\. found south of the 

 Blue Mountains. If it exist further south it would be interesting to fnid where the 

 two species inosculate, if not intergrade. — Eds. 



